


Magnetic

by Something_to_fight_for



Series: Magnetic-verse [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: F/M, Mando, Reader Insert, Star Wars - Freeform, best friends with baby yoda, force sensitive reader, grogu misses his dad, star wars fic, the mandalorian story, the mandalorian: magnetic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:35:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 38,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29364852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Something_to_fight_for/pseuds/Something_to_fight_for
Summary: After discovering that you’re capable of doing - and knowing - things that no one else in your city can, you set off from your home planet, determined to find others like you: those capable of wielding the Force.A few years of following the path toward becoming a Jedi Consular later, your life takes a turn and once again causes you to rethink your future. But the arrival of a new student at the Academy - and the connection formed between the two of you - gives you a reason to stay, even if only for a little longer.What happens when you’re tasked with accompanying the Child back to the life he was forced to leave after being abducted by Moff Gideon? How will your friendship with the Child change his relationship with Mandalorian Din Djarin… and will it lead to more between you and the Mand’alor?Update Schedule:Every Friday, between 6-7 PM EST
Relationships: Din Djarin x Female Reader, Din Djarin/Reader, Din Djarin/You, Mando x reader - Relationship, Mando x you, The Mandalorian x reader, The Mandalorian x you
Series: Magnetic-verse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2172870
Comments: 34
Kudos: 63





	1. Introduction: It's All Very Complicated

**Before your eyes had even opened, and even though you were still half asleep, you sensed that someone was in the room with you.** _Again?_ Blinking, you let out a slow breath, giving your eyes time to adjust to the dim glow from the panel next to the door as the dream you’d been having slipped away, dark brown eyes and a cautious smile the only things you could remember. The room was silent, aside from the low hiss of cooled air through the vent, but then after a few seconds, you heard a quiet thud at the foot of your bed followed by a nearly inaudible whine. _Again._ “C’mere, Gr - kid.” 

The blankets shifted with the added weight as he tugged on them, and you clutched the top edge to keep them from slipping off of you entirely while he climbed.  _ Too cold for that.  _ In the low light, you saw the curved top of his head and his sloping ears appear first, quiet coos accompanying them.  _ Hey kid. _

It didn’t happen every night, but at least three times a week, the little guy found his way into your room and into your bed, nesting right next to your upper body, your arm curled loosely around him as you both nodded off. “Couldn’t sleep again?” He moved more swiftly over the blankets, and it didn’t take long for his face to pop up right next to yours, mouth opened slightly, his massive eyes focused on you.  **No.**

Lifting the corner of the blanket with one hand and groaning at the slight chill of air it allowed to enter the previously covered space, you paused as the kid dove beneath it, letting the material fall again as you felt him lay down next to you, more babbling noises a sign that while you were still on the edge of sleep, he was wide awake. “You could just knock, bud. It would be…”  **No knock. Too loud.** “Fine.” You weren’t annoyed with him - not really - and despite the numerous ongoing middle of the night intrusions, you knew you’d never tell him to stop coming into your room.  _ Keeping me from being lonely, little guy. Hope I’m doing the same for you. _

It had been happening since shortly after the youngling arrived at the Academy and you were introduced. The first few times, you’d been quick to scoop him up, carrying him back to his room and tucking him into his bed before telling him that he had to stay put. While you didn’t have all the details about Grogu’s past, you knew that it had been a lot more unconventional than that of the other students and Masters, and that he wasn’t used to such a routine - or being alone at night.  _ None of us were before we got here.  _

But he’d been subjected to more difficult times than you could imagine, and although you got glimpses of them through his thoughts, much of it was still hazy - as if he was  _ trying _ to keep his early years a secret, hidden from everyone - even himself, but especially you and the other adults at the Academy.  _ And you’re gonna make sure it stays that way, aren’t you.  _ Absently, you stroked the back of his head, feeling the wrinkled skin beneath your fingers, along with the soft edge of the top of his sleeping robe.

He’d come back with Master Skywalker, straight from a dangerous confrontation with Imperial remnants on a light cruiser, and you’d quickly learned first hand that he was powerful with the Force - although uneducated and undisciplined in the ways of the Jedi. Prior to his rescue, a Mandalorian bounty hunter was responsible for his care, and that had been the case for almost a year, which added to the child’s lack of control and discipline.  _ But it’s not his fault, it had to be that way.  _

The Mandalorian had done his best, keeping the kid as safe and as secure as possible for as  _ long _ as possible. But the Empire finally caught up with them, leading to the kid’s current situation - separated from the people he’d spent a great deal of time with and studying under capable and trained Jedi.  _ It had to be… hard.  _ **Yes.** You glanced down, but could only see the side of Grogu’s face, his ear folded against the pillow beneath his large head.  **It is.**

At the unusually candid response to your thoughts of his previous life, your tired mind turned back to the Mandalorian, eyes drooping shut. You’d also caught glimpses of  _ him _ through Grogu’s thoughts; a tall and broad-shouldered man, covered nearly head to toe in gleaming beskar and a flowing cape, a sizeable helmet perched atop his shoulders and obscuring his features completely. Through Grogu’s eyes, you saw the man as imposing and to be feared,  _ dangerous,  _ though Grogu himself hadn’t ever been afraid, even in the beginning. You saw the weapons he carried; a huge rifle, a weighty blaster, even a flamethrower attached to his wrist along with a sleek, shining spear made of the same material as his armor. Not only could you  _ see _ them in your mind, you felt the same sense of pride that Grogu felt when he watched the man wield them in the memories.  _ He was the right person to protect you, kid.  _

You’d never  _ met _ a Mandalorian before, but had researched them in the Jedi texts and other history books, learning of their ferocity and belief systems, which differed depending on their specific clans and Tribes. “It’s all  _ very _ complicated, hmm?” You whispered the words, a smile on your lips as you pressed them gently to the back of the child’s head. He cooed again in response, but you felt that his mind was beginning to settle, his three-fingered grip on your forearm loosening. “It had to be a lot for you to understand, right kid?”  **The Way.**

You  _ felt _ the weight of the words from his thoughts, another slow, heavy breath leaving you, but the sadness Grogu knew when thinking of the man quickly changed into a happier emotion, and you closed your eyes, too, concentrating on his shifting thoughts. He was nearly twice your age, but Grogu was - for lack of a better description - still a child, and although he’d grown much stronger in the months he’d spent training at the Academy, his emotions were still much more volatile than the Masters would have liked.  _ But it happens differently for everyone. _

That volatility made it easier to read him even when he wasn’t focused on communicating with you, and while you knew that some of the other students seemed to fear the little green creature and the strength he radiated, you’d never felt the same, even though you  _ knew _ that he knew when you were prodding at his thoughts - and he was more than capable of making you stop. 

It wasn’t because you were prying; in fact, it was the exact opposite, and you’d spent countless nights like  _ this _ one before, connecting with the kid as a way to calm him, giving him a chance to  _ remember  _ and share his earlier life with someone that was willing to listen. You helped him drift off to sleep by sharing space in your own mind with him, despite the fact that even the most untrained Padawans could tell that Grogu’s mind was often troubled - and that he’d seen and been a part of things that most of them couldn’t begin to imagine. “Sleep well, kid.” You murmured the words, feeling Grogu’s fingers tighten once more before they relaxed almost completely. 

He fell asleep before you, and the last thought that you had before you followed him into sleep was of yellow-gloved fingers curled around a smooth silver ball, one of Grogu’s small hands outstretched toward it. 

\--- 

He was gone when you woke up the following morning, and despite the middle of the night interruption, you felt refreshed and awake as soon as you opened your eyes.  _ I usually do after he’s here.  _

It was a strange relationship you had with the kid, but it worked, and you knew that along with being good for Grogu, it helped others focus elsewhere, so you were happy to continue.  _ At least until his training’s done, and he rises in the ranks. Or… until I leave. _

You blinked into the mirror, brushing your teeth. Him becoming a Knight was a looming possibility; every Padawan’s training lasted a different amount of time, and one of the  _ other _ things that you knew about Grogu was that he’d had prior training - meaning that even with his lack of constant focus, he was far more capable of using the Force than most of the others within the Academy at his classification level. He was strong and smart - but still learning to control himself. _ Just a kid. _

That didn’t mean that he was  _ good _ at it all the time, or that it didn’t tire him out immensely when he overdid things, but the Masters spoke of him as though they already knew that when he became a Master himself, he’d be a formidable adversary when and if it became necessary.  _ We’re still a while off from that, though. He’s still little, he’s …  _ Spitting your tooth gel out, you straightened up, adjusting your shirt over your shoulders and glancing back at the door of your room as a new set of thoughts made themselves known to you.  _ Bari’s coming.  _

You couldn’t help it sometimes, finding yourself unable to block out the thoughts around you -  _ especially _ when emotions ran high, and it was the reason that your training had been halted.  _ One of them, anyway.  _ Rubbing a hand over your face, you turned away from the mirror and slipped your shoes on, striding to the door and opening it before the young man had a chance to knock. “Morning, Bari.” He looked shocked at your greeting but quickly recovered, nodding his head and greeting you by name, lips curving upward into a large smile.  _ He’s happy to see me… as always. _

“Hey. Can I walk you to breakfast?” Nodding in agreement, you stepped into the hallway and stayed next to the man, turning toward the dining hall. “You look like you slept well.” 

“Yeah, I did.” You nodded in greeting as you passed others in the hall, taking a deep breath. “The kid ended up in my room again, and once he was there, I was  _ out _ .” 

“Grogu? Isn’t he a little old to -” Stiffening, you glanced over, watching as Bari eyed you. “I mean he’s been here for a year, he should have let go of -”

“They… his kind age different, Bari. And since there’s  _ no _ record of what he is, we don’t know …” You bit your lip. “He’s a kid that had to leave his dad, and it’s only been a year. He might be fifty human years old, but who knows what that equals out to in  _ his _ species.” You swallowed as you reached the dining hall, eyes sweeping over the room as you looked for Grogu.  _ I bet he’s not here. I bet he’s with …  _ “Besides, it’s not like he’s interrupting anything, so if it makes him feel better to sleep in a room with someone?” You reached for a tray, once again looking at the man next to you. “It’s fine with me.” 

He was silent for a few minutes as the two of you loaded up your trays with food, and you could tell that he was conflicted.  _ Say it, whatever it is.  _ “What if there  _ was _ someone else in your room? Would he -” 

“I think he’d understand, Bari.” You slid into a seat at an empty table, reaching for a piece of fruit. “He’s not _ stupid,  _ just … young.” You chewed thoughtfully, feeling as Bari’s emotions raced.  _ He’s going to do it again. Ask me …  _ “Why, who do you think that he’s going to -”

“You know that since you’re no longer training that the rules  _ technically  _ don’t apply to you, right?” He leaned in, eyes locked on yours. “You’re allowed to… I could …  _ we  _ could.” 

“Bari.” You closed your eyes. “I know that you …” You glanced up. “It was my decision to stop training, and the Masters were generous enough to let me stay here anyway because they thought I could help.” You knew that it was rare, but also knew that any sensitivity toward the Force was looked at as an asset post-Empire, and turning you away wasn’t anyone’s first option. “But that doesn’t mean that I’m going to do anything to -” 

“I know, I know.” You felt the frustration from him, and understood it. Bari had befriended you almost immediately upon your arrival to the Academy years earlier before it was even a shadow of its current self. You’d met him in the town a few miles away from the building, the young man providing a friendly face when you felt lonely at first, and then someone to talk to during breaks and on days off after you officially began your education. He was simply employed within the building, and despite it being unconventional for Padawans to closely befriend those not in the program, you were drawn to the boy, his honesty and openness welcome after separating from your family in the manner that you had. “But maybe just -” 

“Bari, come on.” You shrugged, lifting your fork and using it to cut into a piece of your omelette. “We’ve talked about this.  _ Us _ … It’s better to keep it the -” You felt it - for the first time in him,  _ anger _ at your rebuff, but it quickly changed to forced nonchalance, and you were able to keep your expression even, too.  _ That’s interesting.  _

“Someday, you’re going to leave the Academy. Even if it’s only to settle somewhere close by.” Bari leaned in, his eyes wide. “You won’t have to follow their rules all the time, and then you can … maybe you won’t still feel…”  _ Not with you. Not … I’m sorry, Bari. We’ve talked about it.  _ “You came here to make a life for yourself, and now that you’ve chosen  _ not _ to follow the path of …  _ their _ path? You’re free to follow your own, and that means…” 

“Not until I decide to leave here.” You beamed at him, lips twitching upward as you glanced past him at the doorway. “And Bari? That’s not going to be for a while, especially with this little guy here.” He turned away from you after a few seconds and the two of you watched as Grogu floated through the room in a small pod, his head peeking up over the edge of it.  _ Morning, kid. _ He looked in your direction as he passed by, eyes widening and mouth opening in greeting, one hand waving slowly. “Come on, Bari. How could I just leave him behind?” 

“Yeah, I guess you couldn’t.” The man’s attention went back to his food, fingers holding his own fork loosely. “”I guess I just wonder …” His words trailed off and he raised his eyes to yours, forehead wrinkled.  _ He wants me to see what he’s…  _ His thoughts hit you full force and you couldn’t help the wince, looking away from the man across from you as he replayed in his mind the night the two of you - along with a few others from the nearby town - had spent an evening playing Sabacc and drinking too much Gizer ale and spice beer. 

“Bari, come on.” You whispered the words, shaking your head. “That’s not fair.” But he kept thinking, the sadness in his gray eyes growing more pronounced. “We were barely old enough to drink, and we both agreed that things shouldn’t have gone that far that night.”  _ And I meant it, even though you didn’t. _

“But they did.” He shrugged. “You knew how I felt then, and how I …” He didn’t need to finish his sentence - he was right. You knew that the man  _ liked _ you, that he hoped that after you’d chosen to stop training at the Academy, you wouldn’t go far - that you’d be free to be with him in every way. He said your name, giving you a small smile. “It’s not going to change. I’m sorry that I just threw all of those memories at you, but it … I think about it a lot. About  _ you _ a lot.” You had too, for a while. It wasn’t the first time you’d fooled around with someone, and Bari knew it, but since leaving your home, he’d been the only one to even come  _ close  _ to getting you alone in a room with a bed. 

You liked him - you  _ really _ did - but you didn’t feel anything when you’d been with him - not anything that  _ mattered _ anyway. Even after what had happened with your parents, their story was one that you admired; the spark between them, the defiance of both of their families to up and leave with only a small number of credits to their names, starting a family with little support.  _ Because they believed in each other, in their future. Because they loved each other.  _

Bari had been the first  _ regular  _ person you’d met that wasn’t afraid of you after you’d realized that you were attuned to the Force, that you could  _ do _ things that other people couldn’t, and his acceptance had been a large part of the reason you’d gotten so close to him in the first place.  _ That was part of it.  _ You sighed, looking down at your tray, suddenly much less hungry than you had been.  _ Why we got close. It was nice to …  _ He wasn’t attracted to you  _ because _ of the Force, you knew that from his thoughts, and that was appealing to you, too, but as time had passed and you’d grown into true adulthood, the size and number of students in the Academy growing as well, it hadn’t been enough.  _ It never was. It never would have been.  _

After that first and only night together - fumbling in the dark, hands moving over each other’s bodies and your thoughts mercifully  _ blank _ for the first time in months - you’d made it a point to never let things go that far again; not with Bari and not with anyone else, either.  _ Not while I’m here. Not while I’m setting an example. Not …  _ As you thought, you closed your eyes again, seeing a flash of the deep brown from the dream the night before. “I’m sorry, Bari. That’s not what I want. That’s not why I’m still here.”  _ Not to settle. _

He grumbled in disappointment, but he didn’t have long to stew, as you heard a quiet mechanical whirring noise and Grogu’s levitating carriage pulled up next to you.  **Very hungry.** You grinned at him and reached over, pulling the tray off the top of it and setting it onto the table before you turned toward him, holding out both hands. Happily cooing, he reached for you, ears perking up, and you lifted him from the nest of blankets, setting him on the table beside his plate. “Morning, Grogu.” Bari was making an attempt - for your sake - but you knew that the kid didn’t buy it for one second, only nodding once at the man before turning his focus back to his food. “Soup, again?” 

“It’s easy for him to lift the bowl.” You raised an eyebrow, absently reaching over to straighten Grogu’s robe across the back of his neck. “Utensils are kinda hard with three fingers, right kid?”  **Right.** You heard a quiet slurp as he raised the bowl to his mouth, turning your attention back to Bari and hoping that Grogu wasn’t listening - or thinking - too hard. “We can talk later, if you want.” You tried to smile, but it came out strained. “I have a full day today, and then tomorrow this little guy and I are …” You lifted your hands, miming covering Grogu’s ears as you mouthed the next sentence, voice barely louder than a whisper. “ _ Leaving _ the Academy for a little while.” 

It was meant to make him smile, but Bari only shrugged, eyes still on you. “If you want.” He stood, pushing away from the table, tray in his hands. “Doesn’t matter.” Before you could respond, Bari was walking away, his back the only thing you could see.  _ Damn.  _ You picked up your fork again, sighing as you returned to your breakfast.  **He’s mad.**

“Nah, little guy.” You chewed on your eggs, glancing down. “You’ll understand when -” But you laughed as you saw him holding a spoon in one hand, leaning over a second bowl of food, the surface rippling as something moved within it.  _ Yuck.  _ But Grogu paid no mind to that thought, poking at the top of the liquid, his tiny body nearly vibrating in anticipation. “C’mon, kid. Don’t play with your food.” At that, he froze for a second before turning his head toward you, ears lowered and eyes wide, his emotion changing swiftly to sadness. “No, I wasn’t… I’m not  _ mad _ , but it…”  _ What did I say? _

He blinked slowly and you saw his grip on the spoon tighten, another flash of his thoughts filling your head briefly. But this time it wasn’t a man’s eyes - it was the Mandalorian, hunched over and staring in your direction from the middle of a dimly lit room. 

\--- 


	2. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A disappearance. A revelation. An offer. A decision. A discovery. They’re all connected - and everything’s moving quickly.

_Grogu!_ You called out for him, not taking the time to consider _what_ to call him, his name your only thought. _Come on, this isn’t funny anymore._ It was the third time you couldn’t find the kid - but only the first that had been your fault to begin with - and this time, he’d been gone for hours. You’d noticed that he seemed off after your trip away from the Academy and into the market, but over the course of the following week, the kid had disappeared three separate times, striking fear deep into your heart each of them. 

You’d found him the first time he left, sensing him by accident as you searched the lower level of the building, getting just a glimpse of his view, rocking back and forth in the hanging canopy of one of the freighter ships’ sleeping quarters. He’d been surprised to see you, but excited, too, babbling as he reached for you to lift him up and cradle him to your chest. The second time, one of the Masters found him based on a memory you recalled, urging him to check near a small pond at the edge of one of the fields nearby. 

This time? You were determined to be the one to find him again, _needing_ to be the one that got to Grogu first and bringing him back into the warmth and security of the Academy. _Why? Why does it need to be me?_

You knew the planet was safe. You were sure that the area surrounding the Academy was even safer. You believed that the kid was more than capable of fending for himself if it really came down to it. But you also knew that he was still young, still got overwhelmed - and still overestimated his own capabilities. So you’d left the walls of the Academy and ventured outside, the hood on your cloak lifted to ward off as much of the rain as possible, and taken a seat in the center of the main courtyard, legs folded beneath you. _Grogu. Kid, come on._ Your eyes were closed as you searched for him, letting your mind wander and covering as much ground as possible. 

All of the Masters were looking for him, but they - as well as you - _also_ knew that after spending so many years closing himself off from the Force and the Jedi, he was adept at concealing himself when he wanted to. _He has to want to come back._ You’d said it to Master Skywalker, the man’s eyes wide and anxious as you told him that you’d only turned away from him for a few seconds to adjust his bedding, meaning to help the kid tidy his room before the two of you spent the night playing in one of the covered outdoor areas, using the time off from his lessons to practice focusing and just relax together. _He wouldn’t go far. He wanted to be here in the first place, but he …_ You’d frowned, the same thought dawning on you and Skywalker at the same time. _What if he doesn’t want to anymore?_ Meeting his clear, blue eyes, you both felt and saw the worry in them, knowing that it was a real possibility.

The man had sent you off to search for the kid, and you just hoped that something - _anything_ was enough to get through to him. Even a single thought - a split second of connection - would help you locate him, but you didn’t know where to begin. The minutes passed and nothing happened aside from your cloak getting damper by the second, a chill settling into your body, fear creeping in along with the cold. You’d called on all of your training to focus on the kid, finding that while most Jedi looked at intense emotions being detrimental, they _helped_ you, enabling you to isolate specific individuals based on what you knew that they felt. But there was nothing - no thoughts of frogs or hyperspace, no thoughts of speeders or a tiny hammock. No thoughts of - “Oh, kid.” You gritted your teeth, using one hand to swipe at your face and push your dripping hair away from your eyes. “I’m sorry, but I have to.” 

You closed your eyes again and sighed, settling onto the ground and placing your palms against the earth, swallowing hard. _This has to work._ Concentrating with all your energy, you thought of the Mandalorian; pictured his stance, allowing yourself to get lost in the memories you’d seen through Grogu’s eyes. A man standing at the foot of his carriage, one gloved finger extended, almost in disbelief. You saw him fearlessly facing off against a giant beast - a Mudhorn, your memory supplied for you. The Mandalorian watching from a short distance away as you - as Grogu - ran through the tall grass, chasing something. Countless memories were in your mind and you flipped through them, trying to isolate one thing from each; the thing that was clearest and most memorable - the most important pieces of the Mandalorian Grogu carried with him.  
  
The armor. The way it felt to be held against his broad chest, one arm tucked beneath you, the other stretched across your body, keeping you from bouncing too much as he strode across the ground. The way he handled the pulse rifle and the blaster as if they were weightless, extensions of himself. A vague read on his thoughts time and time again - _keep him safe_ the repeated mantra - something that Grogu had gotten used to. His posture in the pilot’s seat. His stubborn nature. 

You felt like you knew the man even though you’d never met him, and by the time you got to the last thing in your arsenal - arguably the most important one - you were exhausted, letting the emotion wash over you along with the rain. **_**Grogu.**_** **_**Grogu.**_** A quiet, surprised laugh. **_**Grogu.**_** It was as if the man was speaking directly into your ear - the sound of his voice was clear - but filtered - in your head, and not a moment later, you _felt_ a quiet coo and a slight rocking sensation as the kid revealed himself to you. _Thank the Maker._

You were on your feet as soon as you felt it, body turned toward the small stand of trees off in the distance. _I’m coming, kid. Please don’t run. I’m coming. Tell me more about your dad._ Every step you took was punctuated with another memory fragment, but these weren’t _your_ doing - they were the child’s. 

Some of them you’d seen before, others were entirely new - looking up at the man from between a pair of boots planted firmly on the ground of some desert, the man’s quiet breathing reaching your ears even though you couldn’t see anything in the dark as he slept next to you. You reached the trees as you saw the Mandalorian’s excitement at Grogu using the Force on command for the first time - the small metallic sphere slowly gliding through the air and out of the man’s hands. _The trees. That’s why he…_

The memories kept coming, and by the time you laid eyes on the kid, standing atop a fallen log, his too-big hood pulled up and over his ears and most of his face, eyes closed, you were nearly overwhelmed by the emotion you felt for the beskar-clad man. _They’re not my feelings though. This is how much he … They’re never going to … Luke’s never going to get him to …_ “Hey, kid.” You croaked out the words, pushing your own hood back and away from your face to cross the small clearing. “You scared me.” Reaching him, you dropped down to one knee, the damp from the ground immediately soaking through the material of your pants. “Scared all of us.” But instead of opening his eyes or replying, you were hit with another memory, and you couldn’t keep from clasping a hand over your mouth, tears leaking from the corner of your eyes as the kid’s emotions flipped to anguish. 

You were looking down at the man as he stood next to a woman, distance between you growing by the second, and you realized that it had been the moment Grogu was abducted. _He was right there. So close._ You had the thought before you could stop it, a gasp leaving your lips as the memory replayed, and you focused on the Mandalorian’s posture, everything about it screaming defeat. “He didn’t give up on you kiddo. He was just a few seconds too late. He came and got you as soon as he could.” 

You spoke the words out loud, too tired to think them. ****I know.**** Despite your fatigue, you felt relief as the kid replied, your eyes opening. Grogu’s eyes were open, too, and even though it _could_ have been the rain that caused the dampness at the corners of them, you knew it wasn’t. Grogu blinked at you twice, and then his mouth opened in a quiet cry. You finally reached for him, pulling him tightly to your chest and resting your cheek against the top of his head as his fingers clutched the soaked edges of your cloak. 

“You miss him so much, kid. I _know._ I can feel it. You’re like me, hmm? Can’t turn it off, can’t be …” _Can’t be what they expect you to be to rise in the ranks and become …_ “It’s gonna be alright, little guy. But we have to get back. We have to get out of this rain or we’re both going to get really sick.” You carefully stood, relaxing your hold on him slightly, and after a few seconds, Grogu looked up at you, his expression unreadable. “Gotta get you into some dry robes, right? Find something warm to -” ****Home.**** The force that the thought erupted with was enough to make you stumble, and you inhaled sharply, biting down on the inside of your lip. ****Home.****

Even though Grogu didn’t fight you as you made your way back to the Academy, you knew that that wasn’t what he meant - nor was it his preferred final destination. 

\--- 

A few days later, you were called into one of the conference chambers, the room well-lit, even though there was only one other person inside of it. “Master Sk-” The young man shook his head, closing his eyes. 

“For right now, call me Luke. No need for any formality.” It was strange to you; you’d gotten accustomed to addressing him as Master during your training, and again when your paths crossed in the halls or open spaces. You knew he wasn’t as strict about his title as some of the others, but after everything he’d done, he deserved respect. “Are you feeling better?” _What?_ “Our friend told me that you got sick while finding him the other day.” 

“Oh.” You smiled, shrugging as you stopped a few feet away from the man, a small table between you. “Yeah, I feel better. Just the flu. I told the kid we’d both -”

“He’s fine. I’m not sure he _can_ get sick.” You stopped, pressing your lips together. “Sit, please.” You did, noticing the tightness in Luke’s tone and finally looking closely at the man’s face. _He’s worried. But what …_ “You’ve gotten close to Grogu since I brought him back.” It wasn’t a question and you just nodded, still eyeing Luke. “He’s very powerful. I’ve only seen anything like it once before, and that …” Luke looked down, taking a deep breath. “He’s made so much progress, and I think he …” The man trailed off, and you waited silently, hands folded on the table in front of you. _Where is this going?_ “We were all very disappointed when you stopped your training.” 

He met your eyes again, the bright blue full of honesty. “It was the best option. I can’t… No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t control the way I …” Luke’s lips twitched as you faltered, but it wasn’t unkind. “I’ll be much more helpful here, or in another city, on another planet as an instructor, it -”

“You were skilled with weapons. Quick on your feet.” Luke leaned back in his chair, and you nodded, unsure of where he was going. _I must look like an idiot, just nodding._ “But your true talent is _seeing_ , right?”

“Yes.” You considered his words carefully. “I’m more comfortable with that. It’s hard, sometimes, because I can’t block it out, but it’s useful. And I know -”

“I watched you with your training blade.” He narrowed his eyes. “You held your own. Even in the beginning.” _What is …_

“I was older than …” You stumbled over your words. “I didn’t even _come_ here until I … it’s easy to block attacks if I know that -” 

“I know.” Luke glanced up. “You stopped your training right before you would have gone through the Gathering ceremony.” _I did. I don’t need… didn’t need…_ “Why then?” He waited for your answer, and even though you took some time to think through it, you were honest when you spoke next.  
  
“There was no point in me going through with it if I wasn’t _sure_. I don’t need a lightsaber if I’m not going to …” You gestured at him with one hand. “I wasn’t going to go through the Trials. I stopped before it even got to that point.” You reached up, touching your temple. “I know I was on a different timeline than everyone because I _was_ older when I found this place, but …” 

“You would have passed them.” _That’s also not a question._ “And you know it, too. Emotions are part of what makes us who we are. It wasn’t always that way, and if they’re not carefully managed, things … get difficult.” He paused, closing his eyes. “But your lack of focus, the inability to tune things out? Your fear of what you can do? Those don’t have to be limitations.” He smiled again. “I’m training my _sister_ , and there’s no way she’d be able to stop herself from feeling everything for the people she loves, too.” That wasn’t news to you, but you were surprised that he was speaking so openly with you about what he did on his own time. “Grogu is thriving here, at least when it comes to his abilities. He’s skilled. He’s capable. He’s grown a ton in the short time he’s been with us.” Luke paused, inhaling. “But he isn’t happy.” 

“No, he isn’t.” Afraid that you’d spoken out of turn, you widened your eyes, ready to apologize. 

“The other Masters and I have …” Luke’s shoulders slumped. “We’ve decided that it might be a good idea to return him to the Mandalorian for some time.” His words shocked you, but Luke didn’t give you time to think too deeply about them. “Bringing him here was the only option before. But now … things have settled with the Mandalorians somewhat, there’s very little in the galaxy that poses a threat to Grogu. Now that we know that he’s alive, and what he’s capable of, everything’s different.” 

“I think he wants to go.” You whispered the words, staring at your hands on the table. “When I found him the other day, he was so _sad_ , and he kept saying _home_ , but it wasn’t the Academy he was talking about, he -” 

“He wants his father. He wants his home.” Luke’s voice hitched. “I expected it, but not this soon.” _I… oh. But what does that mean for me?_ “We’re not holding people here against their will, and that extends to everyone.” You looked back up, meeting his eyes again. “We’ve sent a message out. A transmission to Mandalore, which is the last known location of the bounty hunter Grogu was with.” _So it’s happening then._ “We don’t want to get his hopes up, because we don’t know how long it will take to get an answer, but…” Luke wet his lips. “There’s a good chance he’ll be on his way soon.” 

You felt a multitude of emotions at the revelation, but the most overwhelming was relief. _He’s going to be so happy._ “Why are you telling me this?” You spoke quietly, still unsure. “I’m no one, I have no standing with you, I’m not even -” 

“He likes you. Grogu … you’ve connected with him in a way that no one else here has been able to.” There was another pause. “If … _when_ he goes, he’ll need someone to go with him.” _What?_ “We can’t spare a Master, and none of the Knights would be suitable for the trip.” _Are you saying …_ “He listens to you. He speaks to you. He shares things with you, much more than he does with anyone else.” Luke waited, but you didn’t say anything, still trying to process what you were hearing. “And to put it in very simple terms, Grogu is one of the most talented Force users I’ve ever met, and I’d feel better if he -” 

“But I’m not a Jedi. I’m not ...I just … I was going to be a Consular, not a Guardian or a Sentinel … how can I …” Luke’s smile grew, and he leaned in, hands flat on the table. “I’d do anything to protect the kid, but reading thoughts is -” 

“You know, I was almost 20 the first time I used a real lightsaber.” He shrugged. “And it wasn’t even one that I built.” _What?_ “You’ve had experience with the practice blades. How long has it been since -”

“Over a year. Just before Grogu came here, I -” Your heart was pounding. “I haven’t even thought about …” _There’s no way he’s suggesting that I head off with the little guy with a lightsaber in my hand to…_

“Ilum is no longer safe to travel to for… us.” He stood, pushing away from the table, and circling around to your side, stopping next to you. “But we’ve been searching the galaxy, and … we’ve found kyber crystals in other locations. Many more of them.” _More?_ “It’s too dangerous to take a group of younglings to _search_ for their crystals as was done in the past, so we’ve brought them here, for when they’re ready to choose them.” _There’s no kriffing way he’s going to …_ “I’d feel a lot better about you leaving with Grogu for a while if you had a lightsaber.” 

“But I …” You shook your head back and forth. “Master Skyw - _Luke,_ I’m not _trained._ I wouldn’t _be_ trained later on, after we left. Grogu doesn’t use a… I wouldn’t be able to practice with anyone -” 

“No, that’s not true.” Luke cocked his head to the side, and you caught one of his thoughts. ****She hasn’t said no.**** “The Mandalorian has a lightsaber, too.” _What? A Mandalorian with a ..._ “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, but…” Luke leaned in, only a foot or so away from you, his expression serious, but excitement in his eyes. “You’d get your practice in, if he agreed to it.” You thought for a few seconds, picturing the Mandalorian in your mind, and feeling yourself shiver at the thought of sparring with the massive man and his armor. _At least I wouldn’t hurt him._ “Think about it. It shouldn’t take long to build, you’ll just need the parts and the crystals.” Luke straightened up. “This is an offer not many get. I trust you. Grogu trusts you. Your use of the Force is unconventional but it’s… true. And? You care about him.” Luke sighed. “He’s special.” There was a long pause, and Luke met your gaze again, unblinking as he said your name. “You don’t have to hide it from me. Your time here isn’t … you’ve been thinking of what comes next for you.” 

“I have.” You swallowed hard. “To be honest, if Grogu wasn’t here? I probably would have …” _Already tried to find another job, at the very least._

“I know.” Luke watched you for a few seconds. “And speaking of him, can you keep this from him? Keep the kid from -” 

“Yes.” You were certain of it, and keeping the secret for the few days it would likely take to hear back from the Mandalorian would _easily_ be the most important thing you’d ever been tasked with. “I can. I will.” _Especially if I’m building a…_ “Luke? Master Skywalker?” He hummed a reply, still watching you. “Can I let you know tonight? I want to think about …”

“Of course.” He gave you a nod, and you understood that the conversation was over. “Remember, Grogu can’t know about this. If the Mandalorian doesn’t return the message? If he can’t take some time to -” It was your turn to stand, shaking your head slowly back and forth as you faced the Jedi. 

“He will. If what that man feels is anything like what the kid does?” You rolled your eyes, chewing on your lower lip. “He’s probably already answering your call.”  
  
\--- 

But as far as you knew, the Mandalorian didn’t respond that day. And by the time you sought Luke out again that night, your body coursing with adrenaline, it was a good thing that you hadn’t seen the kid, because you wouldn’t have been able to stop thinking about the man’s offer. _My own lightsaber. I gave this up, I shouldn’t …_ But you knew Luke’s reputation, knew that the suggestion wasn’t a hasty one, and that his offer had likely come after discussing it with others of his rank. _And that means that other people … they think I …_

The doors slid open, and with a swish of robes, Luke gestured for you to come in. _Am I really doing this? Am I …_ “You’ve made a decision?” He stood with his arms held behind his back, head cocked slightly to the side. “I can tell that -” 

“I’m perfectly fine with …” You closed your eyes and took a breath. “I understood that when I chose to stop training, I wouldn’t ever be … I wouldn’t ever become like you. Like Master Ordo or Master Sirrah or any of the others. I’d _stay_ right where I am. Attuned to the Force and able to _help_ in some ways, but never … never have the rank or the reputation. Never be able to say that I was a Jedi. And that’s fine. I know now that my limitations are…” You trailed off. _Stop rambling._ “You took me in when no one else would and helped me understand what was happening with and to me, and I won’t ever forget that. I can’t ever repay you, and that’s why I wanted to stay here. To be… _useful._ ” Luke nodded, but stayed quiet. “But I’d do anything to keep Grogu safe. And if me… not _continuing_ my training, but moving forward with the -” 

“You’re not making a lightsaber because you’re a Jedi, you’re making one because you need it to protect yourself and help to protect Grogu if necessary.” His tone wasn’t unkind, but it was forceful. “You won’t have rank. You won’t be a Knight. It’s rare, for non-Jedi to use them, but there are trillions of people in this galaxy, and it’s impossible that all of the blades of old are accounted for.” He shrugged. “It’s no different than using a vibroblade or a blaster. It’s just a weapon. A powerful, intimidating weapon, but ... “ He stepped closer to you, moving his gloved hand from behind his back and laying it on your shoulder. “One that you know how to wield. There are many people that won’t have ever _seen_ them before, and that gives you another advantage.” 

“And I’ll need all the advantages that I …” For the first time, you considered what you’d be agreeing to - traveling far from the Academy with Grogu, to a place that was likely inhospitable, deep in the throes of a power struggle, just to reunite him with a man that had his own concerns and responsibilities. “I’m ready. If you … I’ll do it. I’ll pick my crystals and try my best to build a … and I’ll take Grogu. If the Mandalorian returns your message, I’ll make _sure_ he gets back to where he …” _Oh, stars, what am I agreeing to?_

“Let’s go.” Luke squeezed once, a smile overtaking his face before he pulled his hand away and stepped around you, heading back for the door. “I already knew you’d agree, but I had to hear you say it. We’ll go tonight, you and I, and start the process.” _What? I wasn’t …_ “It doesn’t take _long_ to complete your build, but the sooner you have it done, the sooner we can restart your training.” 

“Who will I be -” He stopped as you turned toward him, his head angled to the right and the smile still on his face.  
  
“Me.” 

\--- 

The next few hours were a whirlwind. You’d had to travel away from the Academy with Luke in the darkness, side by side on speeders to get to the location of the kyber stash. After dismounting, you had no idea where on the planet you were, and you were almost convinced that Luke had complicated the journey, ensuring that you couldn’t ever reveal the location to anyone, even on accident. _Smart._ Dismounting, Luke led you toward the mouth of a cave set deep within a rocky outcrop, the moonlight helping to provide the only glimpses of your surroundings. “It doesn’t even feel like we’re still -” 

“This place was chosen because it’s where we feel the Force the most strongly on this planet.” Luke was a few steps ahead of you, ducking slightly to enter the cave. “It’s isolated, but it’s safe. It’s nothing like the crystal caves on Ilum are, but it’s …” He sighed, reaching for the lamp that was attached to his belt. “There, they grow straight from the floors and walls. They _call_ to you long before you even enter the main caverns. But there’s so much power in those caves that it’s overwhelming.” You saw the outline of his body as he lit the lamp, bathing the walls around you in a soft glow. “Someone like _you_ there? Someone that _already_ sees and feels more than the average being?” He laughed quietly, picking his way carefully through the dark. _We’re going down. The path, we’re underground._ “I would have liked to see that.” 

The two of you walked in silence for a few minutes, Luke leading you through the twists and turns easily, though you stumbled a few times. “I’d get lost down here by myself.” You spoke quietly, doing your best to keep up. “I’m terrible with directions. Always have been.” _But there’s something here,_ you realized, feeling your body relax the deeper into the cave you went. _It’s like I_ ** _ **should**_** _be here._ “Are there caves on Mandalore? I -” 

“I’m not sure.” Luke kept walking. “I’ve never been there, and there’s not much known about it. You’ll be one of the first people to see it after … everything that’s happened to it.” _All of the fighting. The occupation. The destruction of …_ “Everything.” He stopped, and you did too, eyes focused on what was ahead. “We’re here.” _Here? Where’s …_ “I won’t be going in with you. This isn’t my journey.” 

“Where am -” But as your eyes adjusted, you saw a slightly darker area in the wall, and realized it was an opening. “What do I …” 

“This isn’t a trial, remember that.” Luke took a deep breath. “But you’ll still need to … _search_ for your crystal. I don’t know what you’ll see in there, if you’ll see anything. I don’t know how it’ll go. But I _do_ know that you’ll know what to do when it’s time.” _What is he even …_ “Here.” He handed you the lamp, passing the smooth metal handle into your hand without pause. “Take your time. Think it through.” You saw one of Luke’s eyebrows rise. “You’ll have this thing for the rest of your life.” _Oh, fantastic. No pressure, right?_

But you only nodded, thanking him quietly and stepping past the man, between the shadows and through the open space. _I don’t even know what I’m looking for._ You could feel the power of the place - a low, thrumming sensation that almost felt alive. _He wasn’t kidding about this being a concentrated … damn._ The deeper into the darkness you walked, the calmer you felt, and that worried you - slightly. “I’m walking into a damn cave in the middle of nowhere at midnight, I should be …” But your words trailed off as the pathway opened up ahead of you, a slight glow adding to the light of the lamp you held. _What the …_

Glancing up, you saw that you were in a large room, the ceiling high above your head. It wasn’t _massive_ by any means, but it wasn’t small, and after only a few seconds, you set the lamp down, continuing to walk through the space. “This is beautiful,” you whispered, eyes moving over the walls. “I’ve never …” You knew from what Luke told you that most of the glittering spaces in the walls weren’t what you were looking for, but nonetheless you were drawn to them, fingers glancing over the rough and pointed edges, lips curving into a small smile. Closing your eyes, you tried to calm your mind, letting yourself relax, and again felt the pulse in the air, focusing on it. _It’s stronger back there, in the… the corner._

Making your way toward the back wall of the room, you heard a crunch beneath your boots, looking down to see that there were more small crystals on the floor, shattering into glittering piles of glass that crumbled into the dirt floor as you stepped on them. _Minerals,_ you realized. _They wouldn’t store something so valuable on the ground, not … not when people are just wandering through here._ It calmed you further, and by the time you reached the back wall, your mind was blank. _Alright. Let’s do this._ Taking a deep breath, you pressed both palms to the wall, unsure of what else you needed to do - or where to begin looking. The wall felt alive beneath your hands and you gasped, knees buckling slightly as you began to see images in your mind - men and women, glowing bursts of light, the darkness of space, littered with millions of glowing pinpricks of starlight, the same deep brown eyes from your dreams. 

At that, you gasped, lowering yourself to the ground and dropping your chin to your chest, hands moving from the wall to the floor, fingers curling in the pebbled soil. _I don’t know who you are. Why am I …_ The harder you tried to focus on the image of the man, the hazier it got, but the feelings that came with it became much more pronounced. _Sadness. Despair. Regret._ With a cry of frustration, you forced yourself to think of something else, letting out your held breath and then pressing your lips together to the point of pain. _It’s not real. I’ve never seen … that’s not why I’m…_

More time passed, your breathing evening out, mind returning to its blank state, and for the first time in more than a year, you didn’t try to keep from tapping into the Force, instead letting it in. _This must be what Grogu felt when he went to Tython._ You had the thought before you could stop it, and the kid’s face then filled your mind, your chest tightening as you thought of everything he’d been through - everything he’d likely still have to experience in his long, long life. _I need to do this so he can go back to …_ You thought of the Mandalorian then, seeing the man from Grogu’s point of view; the sharp edges of the bottom of his helmet, one tiny, clawed hand resting against the smooth Beskar of his breastplate. “Alright, kid.” You let out another breath, nodding your head. “It’s time.” 

Pushing the thoughts of the man and the child out of your head, you focused on what you were feeling, pushing out with your mind to see if anything pushed back. _This is stupid, it’s a piece of …_ But instead of feeling nothing, you felt a slight spot of warmth; a pinprick of light shining in the darkness. Before you could completely focus on it, it was gone, replaced with another feeling - that of fear. Instead of the light from the cave or your lamp, when you opened your eyes in surprise, your mother was standing in front of you, one hand held over her mouth in shock as your younger sister clutched her hip, eyes wide in fear. _It’s not … not possible._

You hadn’t seen your mother and sister in years, and at the sight you yelped, scrambling to your feet and holding your hands out in front of you. _They haven’t aged._ “M-mom?” Blinking, you looked down, head moving back and forth. “It’s ok, I’m not -” 

“Dangerous.” You heard her voice clearly, the hiss at he end of it. “ _You_ are dangerous. To yourself, to us, to everyone here.” The words stung, and you shied away, never looking up from your sister. “Too dangerous.” 

“No. I’m not. I wasn’t, I …” But you trailed off, focused on the little girl and the way she was looking at everything but you. “I didn’t mean to …” Your mother’s laugh cut through the air, sharper than any blade that existed, and you immediately went quiet, tears springing into your eyes. 

“Hide it, girl. Hide it or _get out.”_ She pointed, gesturing over your shoulder. “I didn’t raise a witch.” You were crying, the tears tracing lines down your dusty cheeks, but you couldn’t speak, instead staying on your feet, head whipping back and forth. _No no no no, you just didn’t_ ** _ **know**_** _, we didn’t understand, I’m not …_ “They’re all talking about you.” She spat the words, eyes narrowed. “Talking about my _daughter_ , about _me_ , about your _father,_ asking if your sister can use magic too, asking if -”

“No!” The word erupted from your lips, stopping your mother’s speech. “I am _not_ a witch. I am _not_ dangerous.” You were still crying, but your voice was strong. “It’s not magic. It’s the Force, and it’s _useful_ , it’s _good_.” You said her name, reaching out with one hand but the woman recoiled, pulling your sister with her. “I was _barely_ an adult and you were more worried about …” Sniffling, you continued. “You made me think that I had to _hide_ what I am, what I can _do_ just to survive. But I didn’t. I _don’t._ ” You straightened up, staring at the woman head on. “You were _wrong._ You didn’t know it, but you were… there was no reason to…” _She’s already said this to me._

You widened your eyes as you remembered the day your mother had given you an ultimatum: hide your ability or get out. But it hadn’t really been an option, since you’d blown your cover - accidentally reading a boy’s mind and reacting, warning one of your town’s lawmen that he’d committed a crime and then _honestly_ telling him how you’d known. Unsure of how to explain the way you’d come to know the information, you revealed more - other people’s thoughts, things they’d kept hidden, the lawman’s childhood best friend’s name - in an attempt to make them understand that it was real. But from that day, the entire town had avoided you, in turn, shunning the rest of your family as well. _But it wasn’t my fault._ You’d wished every day that you’d kept your mouth shut instead of trying to make them see, but the true end of your time at home had come just months later. 

“I’m sorry.” You dropped to your knees, saying your sister’s name. “I was trying to _help_ you, and I didn’t…” The two of you had been playing near the forest behind your home, the little girl skipping over the ground when she’d tripped, a short scream the only noise you’d heard. Without thought, you’d turned your attention to the girl, fear filling your heart as you saw her falling toward a large boulder, half buried in the ground. You didn’t know how you’d done it, but in the blink of an eye, she was frozen in midair, hands outstretched and the sound of her wail still carrying through the air. Stunned, you’d realized that _you_ were holding her in place, one hand reaching out for her to keep her from hitting her head. “I couldn’t control it because I didn’t know _what_ it was and I …” At the sound of your mother’s yell, your concentration had broken, your sister falling through the air, her temple glancing off the rock. Though it wasn’t as direct a hit as it _would_ have been, there was still blood, and by the time the woman had made it to the two of you - your sister crying as she laid next to the rock, holding her bloodied head and you, exhausted and crumpled on the ground - the little girl could _only_ say your name in response to being asked what happened. _And that was it. They never … they didn’t want me because they …_ “We didn’t understand. But I wasn’t dangerous. I’d never hurt you. I’d never hurt anyone. I just needed to … needed to know what …” 

You were crying again, eyes closed and your shoulders shaking. You hadn’t thought of the confrontation in years; it felt more and more unreal with each passing month away from the small town you’d grown up in, traveling off-planet and to a larger city as soon as you’d earned passage on a ship, finding ways to get information in each new place you went. You’d picked up a lot of skills in the months you’d traveled before you found anything close to information about people that could do what you did. 

_I wanted to go back. Wanted to tell you …_ Sniffling, you looked back up, the woman and child standing in front of you silently. “I can’t hide this. I _shouldn’t_ hide this. People like me are the ones that protect … the Force is …” You took a deep breath, straightening your shoulders and meeting your mother’s eyes. “This is who I am, and it’s what I want.” 

In the blink of an eye, the cave went dark again, the figures disappearing as fast as they’d shown up. Breaths quick, your jaw dropped, eyes darting around the darkened space until they found that same pinpoint of light - this time brighter. Silently, you got to your feet, still breathing heavily. _What is …_ You reached the wall, kneeling down again and stretching your hand out until it touched stone. _It’s in the wall, but it …_ Frowning, you moved your hand down, feeling the slight protrusion as your skin touched the point of light, the prismatic shape contrasting with the rest of the mostly smooth lower wall. _This is it._ You knew it as soon as your hand touched the crystal, heart rate increasing again as your thumb and first finger pinched it between them, tugging toward you. It didn’t move right away, but after a few moments you felt it wiggle, and then, after another pull it came free, dropping into the waiting palm of your other hand. “Oh.” 

It was a pale golden orange, and although the light that guided you to it faded to a dull twinkle as soon as it was pulled free from the wall, it was the most beautiful thing you’d ever seen. _It’s mine._ You stared at it for a few seconds, trying to control your breathing, and then shut your eyes, fingers curling around the tiny thing. _It chose me._ Giving yourself a few seconds to collect your thoughts, you stood, walking back over to the lamp and leaning over to pick it up, the crystal still held loosely in your free hand. 

You made your way back to the mouth of the cave, carefully walking through the narrow space, and were surprised to see Luke sitting on the ground with his eyes closed, back against the wall and his legs stretched out in front of him. “Mast - Luke?” You spoke softly but the man sprung to life, eyes flying open and his hand going to his waist. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up, but I -” You held out your hand, uncurling your fingers. “I think I found it.” 

“I… you…” He shook his head, blowing a breath through his lips. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep, but it took so long, I couldn’t…” _Took so long? I was only in there for …_ But even in the low light, you could see the shadow at his jaw. _His beard is … that means…_ “Yeah. It’s been about twelve hours, you …” 

“ _What_?!” Shocked, you shook your head. “No way, I -” But Luke had never lied to you, and you knew that he wouldn’t have fallen asleep unless what he was saying was true. “I didn’t mean to take so long, I … I saw my -”

“No.” He shook his head quickly, eyes on your outstretched hand. “What you saw? What you _said_? That’s yours. I don’t need to know about it. The only thing that matters is that you …” He leaned closer, smiling. “You found the heart of your lightsaber.” Luke glanced up at you, his sandy hair falling over one eyebrow. “Let’s get back, if you can manage on the speeder, otherwise we’ll camp here today. Then you can begin building.” 

“I’m good. We should get back, I wonder if Grogu’s….” You winced at the thought that he might have found an empty bed the previous night, wondering what he’d think - _where_ he would think you were - and gestured past Luke. “Plus it’s got to be light out, if it’s been so long, so that will keep me awake. We should get back.” You closed your eyes. “Maybe the Mandalorian returned your message while we were gone. And if that’s the case then -”

“Then we need to hurry.” Luke smiled at you, giving you a single nod of his head. “I agree with you.” He didn’t say anything else; instead the man turned away from you and began heading back the way you’d come from the previous night, quickly disappearing into the darkness. 

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, friends! Second part for the week. I’m trying to figure out what the best posting schedule will be moving forward, and I’m thinking once a week, maybe Thursday or Friday night (EST)? We’ll see. 
> 
> Again, I'm on tumblr (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/something-tofightfor) so if you're there too and want to be added to a tag list, just let me know!


	3. All The Time In The Galaxy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You receive the answer you’ve been waiting for - and get to give Grogu some news. But will you be able to handle what’s expected of you?

By the end of the following day, you were exhausted. After returning to the Academy with Luke, you’d gone back to your room, tucking the crystal safely into your top drawer and then taken a long, hot shower before falling into your bed. 

But you hadn’t slept long, eyes flying open again late afternoon when your door cracked open, the floating cradle at eye level. “Hey, kid.” You laid back against the pillows, taking a deep breath as he moved toward you, and then turned your head to look at him. “What do you -” ****You were gone.**** Closing your eyes again, you took a breath and nodded. “I was. Had to leave for a little while. It was important. But I’m back now, and -” ****Bari?**** You sat up at that, knees bent and feet flat on the mattress, staring straight into his eyes and shaking your head firmly. “No. It was for Master Skywalker. I had to go and do something with him, kiddo.” You reached out and Grogu reached back for you, waiting until you had a hold on him to start cooing, ears moving back and down. “You’re talkative today.” 

His mind was a jumble of thoughts, and as you concentrated on them, you felt yourself relaxing again as he spoke to you that way, filling you in on what you’d missed. _Oh, kid. I was only gone for a few hours, did you really miss me that much?_ ** **Yes.**** Leaning down, you kissed the top of his head before you sat straight up and swallowed. Grogu looked up at you, lifting one arm toward your face, his eyes blinking slowly. You could tell he was off - that your absence had truly thrown him, and you shut your eyes, wrinkling your nose. “Won’t leave you here again, kid. I promise.” The two of you stayed like that for long moments, and then another of the Grogu’s thoughts reached your mind, this one stronger than the others. ****Hungry.**** _Of course you are._

With a laugh, you opened your eyes again and swiftly lifted him back into his cradle, still smiling. _Yeah, me too. Let’s go get dinner._ Only a few minutes later, you and Grogu were making your way down the hallway side by side, stopping to say hello to a few of the people that you passed. Despite the unsease you felt sometimes from the others, Grogu was popular with the other students and Masters in the Academy, and you _expected_ the delay, but the longer it took, the hungrier you got - and you felt that Grogu was the same. By the time you were seated at one of the tables, him floating next to you, the fatigue you felt was coming back full force, and you knew that once you ate, you’d need to go back to sleep for a few hours. 

****Sick?**** His question surprised you and you quickly told Grogu no, swallowing the food you were chewing. “No. Just really tired. I’ll be fine tomorrow, I just need sleep. You know how it is. You sleep for _days_ at a time, kid. ****Sometimes.**** You grinned at him, rolling your eyes and gently flicking the sleeve of his robes. _Whatever you say._ It was his turn to laugh before he returned to his dinner and you did the same, eating quickly. 

You kept up a steady stream of conversation with him mentally as you ate, and even though you were the quietest two in the room, it didn’t bother you. You were surrounded by people like you, people that _understood_ you - people your age and older that would have been more than happy to talk to you, but you were happy to stay with Grogu, happy to indulge his questions and stories, keeping him company - and keeping him occupied. “Just you and me, kid.” You raised an eyebrow at him, giving him a lopsided smile. “Unless you -” But your thought was interrupted by the appearance of Bari, standing behind you and clearing his throat. The young man said your name, and you _heard_ the apprehension in it before you turned, Grogu doing the same in his cradle, his head peeking over the top of it to stare upward. “Yeah?” 

“You’re being called to Comm Bay 3.” He frowned. “That’s all I know, but you’re supposed to go now, he said it was important.” _He who?_ “And you need to go alone.” He glanced over at Grogu, and then back at you. “I can walk with you, but -” You shook your head, averting your eyes and looking back at Grogu. _Maybe I’m in trouble, kid._ He laughed at that, scrunching his nose and lowering his ears, and you laughed, waving a hand. _I’m kidding. I’ll see you later._ You lifted a hand to run your fingers over the top of one of his ears, rubbing the tip of it gently and then stood, reaching for your mostly empty tray. 

“I’ll be ok, Bari. Thanks, though.” But the man followed you as you walked across the cafeteria, waiting patiently as you dumped your tray and then turned toward the doorway. “Seriously, I’m fine, I know where the Bay is, I -”

“We’re all going out this weekend. Going to go get dinner and have some drinks at one of the cantinas in town.” He licked his lips, waiting for you to respond. “You should come. You’ve been distant for the last couple of weeks, and then you just went _missing_ last night, so you’ve obviously been doing _something_.” He paused. “You deserve a break.” Bari reached for your arm, touching your elbow gently as you walked into the hallway and toward the lift. “Come out with me. I promise it’s just some drinks and dinner, and there’ll be -”

“Look.” You turned toward him, fighting the urge to cross your arms over your chest. “Let me see what this is about first. I can’t think of anything that I’ve done that would lead to being … _summoned_ like this, but … who knows.” He looked shocked, but you continued. “I’ll let you know, alright? Just …” You pressed the button, sighing. “I’ll come find you when I’m done, alright?” That seemed to be enough for him because he didn’t say anything else to you - but as the doors closed behind you, you caught a strong wash of hope coming from him, focused on the fact that you hadn’t outright turned him down. It had happened so quickly that you weren’t able to clearly think about the reason that you’d been summoned - or _who_ requested your presence - until the doors slid open and you stepped in front of the door to Comm Bay 3. _It’s him. He responded. This is about…_

Before you could lift a hand to knock, the second set of doors opened too, and you caught a glimpse of Luke standing in front of the large holotable at the center of the room, hands behind his back. _That’s the Mandalorian._ Your eyes widened as you stepped further into the room, taking in the broad shoulders and chest of the man projected above the table, the curved helmet easily discernible, even in the flickering light. “Come closer.” Luke spoke to you without looking. “I’ve already listened, but wanted to play the message for you.” Heart pounding, you stood next to him, waiting. “Why are you so anxious?” Luke finally looked over at you, a small smile on his face. “You knew -”

“Because this could change everything.” _For me. For Grogu. For the galaxy._ “I -” 

“You shouldn’t worry.” Luke used his chin to gesture toward a button in front of him. “Go ahead.” Hand shaking slightly, you reached out, one finger pressing the button down to begin the message. You’d heard the Mandalorian’s voice through Grogu’s thoughts before, but hearing it for _real_ shocked you, the deep tone no less imposing, though you could tell that it was heavily modulated. _I wonder what it sounds like without the …_ But you shook your head, willing yourself to focus. 

**_**“Master Skywalker. My quest was to bring Grogu to his kind, and that’s what I did.”**_** There was a pause, and you felt your heart sink. **_**“When you came and took him from Moff Gideon’s light cruiser, I completed that quest. He was … he is safe with you, with the Jedi.”**_** _Oh no. He’s saying no. I was wrong, I …_ ** **“**** ** _ **You’ve updated me on his progress, and I thank you for that, but …”**_** You saw it - the slight lowering of the Mandalorian’s shoulders that had nothing to do with the weight of his armor. **_**“This is The Way. I don’t want to …”**_** He paused again, lowering his helmet and you heard a quiet phrase escape from him; the words _dank farrik_ sounding harsh in your ears. _Oh, come on, Mandalorian. I can see that you don’t want to say this, why are you …_ ** _ **“I just want what’s best for the kid. That’s all I …”**_** There was another quiet span of seconds, Luke immobile next to you, and then the Mandalorian spoke again, tone steady. **_**“You know how to reach me. I’ll be waiting.”**_** The transmission ended there, and you stood in stunned silence, staring at the frozen figure in front of you.  
  
“Is he saying that he doesn’t… that Grogu’s better off …” You were confused, to say the least. You’d assumed that the Mandalorian would jump at the opportunity to have Grogu back with him, even for a short time, but it sounded like - _it sounds like he’s trying to convince himself to say no._

“I agree.” Luke cleared his throat. “Did you know that Grogu - and others with his ability level can completely shut off their thoughts, eliminating their connection to the Force?” You nodded. “That’s how he survived, by cutting himself off from it. He does that with me a lot, keeps his thoughts … hidden.” _He’s never done that with me, not after that first time._ Luke’s smile turned into a grin. “I know he hasn’t.” He gestured to the holotable. “That’s why you’re here now. Because you’re going to convince the Mandalorian that what’s best for Grogu now is to be with him.” _Me?_ Luke nodded, and you reached up to rub a hand over your face. 

“Alright.” You let out a breath, closing your eyes. “Do you want me to send a -”

“No. He sent over instructions to reach him directly through the radio.” Your eyes went to the left, toward the communications equipment, and the two of you walked over toward it, Luke gesturing for you to take a seat. “He may not answer, but … if he does? What you say is up to you.” _Up to me? That’s…_ “You’ve got the strongest connection with Grogu out of any of us. It has to be you.” He typed in a few things onto the board, various lights blinking, and before he pushed the final one to send the call, you gave him a single nod. _You can do this. It’s for the kid._

There was silence at first and then a slight crackle, followed by the clearing of a throat. “Hello?” _His voice sounds different._ “Are -”

“Mandalorian.” Luke spoke, leaning back in his seat. “We got your message.” 

“I didn’t think you’d call.” _His voice is…_ You blinked, trying to figure out what was different. _Is it the radio?_ “I wasn’t -”

“I’ve got someone I’d like you to talk to.” Luke glanced at you. “She’s the one I mentioned in my first holo, the one that’s gotten -” 

“Tell me your name.” The command surprised you, because you weren’t used to anyone giving orders besides the Jedi Masters, but you replied almost immediately, giving your first and last names. “You’re Grogu’s... friend?” _This is it. You have to make him believe._

“Yes, Mandalorian. Can I call you that - Mandalorian? I don’t know your -”

“Yes.” There was a long silence. “You can. Is Grogu -”

“He’s great, actually. Really smart, really funny. He… he talks about you a lot. Not really _talks,_ but he says that it’s like it was with Ahsoka, whatever that means.” 

“You can hear his thoughts.” Agreeing, you waited. “Is he happy?” You heard the man’s sadness in the simple question, and you knew that part of him wanted to hear that _yes_ , the child was happy and thriving, but another part wanted to hear that he wasn’t, that he _missed_ the Mandalorian. 

“Sometimes.” You chose the honest path, seeing Luke nod almost imperceptibly next to you. “It’s been good for him to be around others like him, and he’s learned a lot, but he can’t … he’s not as focused as he needs to be.” You swallowed. “He sneaks into my room at night sometimes, Mandalorian. The door opens and he’s climbing into bed with me, like he doesn’t … like he’s not used to sleeping alone, even after all this time. The kid just wants … I don’t know, he just kind of babbles as he thinks, and at night? A lot of it’s about you.” You laughed. “I almost feel like I know you, and we’ve never met, because he … I don’t know how he is with other people, but _stars_ , he loves you.” It slipped out before you could stop yourself and you froze, covering your mouth with one hand. 

Straining your ears, you could have sworn you heard the man swear on the other end of the radio, but he recovered quickly. “I thought he had to complete his training before he leaves the Academy, before he can become a Jedi, so why are you -”

“He might be young, but he still deserves a choice.” Luke sighed. “I brought him here because I had to, but I don’t want to _keep_ him here if that’s not what he … wants.” 

“But he’s just a child, how does he know what he wants?” _Why are you doing this?_ “I don’t want to be the reason he -”

“If he stays here, his attachment to you might change his life, Mandalorian.” You spoke softly, hoping that Luke wasn’t angry at the interruption. “If he can’t focus on his training, or the fact that he’s _here_ because he’s thinking of you? It won’t do him any good to be here.” _He’s run away three times already, and I …_ ** **Tell him.**** You met Luke’s eyes, asking for confirmation, and received it with a single tilt of his head. “He’s run away three times. He didn’t go _far_ but it was …” You trailed off, gasping. _I didn’t even…_ “You are … were… a bounty hunter, right?” The Mandalorian confirmed with a sharp yes. “I think he… he was playing a game, like he wanted someone to …someone to find him.” You felt tears in your eyes and lifted a hand to wipe them away. “I know you’re probably _very_ busy, but he … he needs you, Mandalorian. Not the Academy. Not the Jedi. Not the Force. Not _me._ You’re his …” You searched for the word that you’d heard from Grogu’s mind countless times. “.. his _aliit.” His family. All he’s got._

“I don’t want to interrupt him.” You could hear the pain in the words, the man denying what you knew he wanted most. “But I …” _Yes. Come on._ “There are some things I need to take care of here before I can leave.” You heard the change in his voice, the slight excitement in his tone, and thought of the laugh in the memory Grogu had shown you. “How long are you thinking -”

“A few months?” Luke sighed. “To be honest, I’m not sure. I don’t want to put a time limit on it, because I want you to enjoy your time together, but … however long you -”

“For him?” You heard the laugh again, just as quiet and emotional, and you realized why it sounded different between Grogu’s memories, the holo message and this call. _He’s not wearing his helmet. That means he’s somewhere alone. That means this call was entirely private for him._ “I have all the time in the galaxy.” You felt a lightness in your chest at his words, and covered your face with both hands in relief. _Grogu’s going home._ “You mentioned sending him with someone? A chaperone?” 

“Yeah.” You felt your relief waning. “About that, Mandalorian, it would be … I’d be coming with Grogu. None of the Knights or Masters can be spared, and since I’m -”

“Are you a Jedi?” He was curious, you could tell by the _way_ the words came out, the man adding your name after a few seconds. “You must be, if you -”

“No. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not. I just … I stopped my training, but I’m still…” You chewed on your lip. “It’s complicated. But no, I’m not a Jedi.” You inhaled. “I do care about the kid. though. A lot. And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him safe before and after he’s with you, even though from what I know about you? It won’t be necessary once you’ve got him back. I’ll just be … _there._ ” The Mandalorian laughed again, this one a little louder, and you finally relaxed, the sound comforting you. _How?_

“That’s fine. It’ll be good to have someone that can be with him when I can’t.” Glancing at Luke, you saw that the man was smiling, his blue eyes on your face. “And even better to have someone that can tell me what the kid _wants_ instead of me guessing.” It was your turn to laugh at that, the sound loud in the open room. He gave you a few seconds and then cleared his throat. “Where will we meet? How are -”

“We have to keep the location of the Academy secret, so it has to be on a neutral site. The Empire’s in ruins, but they’ve still… there’s still some risk if they find us.” The Mandalorian agreed. “We’ll send the two of them from here to somewhere larger in a transport, and then from there, provide a smaller ship to get them to a location convenient for you.” 

“Are you a pilot, too?” You heard a slightly teasing tone in the Mandalorian’s voice, and you were quick to answer him.   
  
“No. I mean, I can fly if I _need_ to, but it’s not … not something I’ve got a lot of experience with. Ground vehicles, yeah. Speeders? I’m great, but … space?” You were chewing on your lip, eyes narrowed. “No, sorry.” 

“We have pilots.” Luke spoke again. “I just need to know where to -”

“Nevarro.” The single word meant nothing to you, aside form recalling it from Grogu’s stories, but you felt excitement at hearing it nonetheless. “I have … friends there. It’s safe. If I’m late getting there for some reason, Grogu … the people there can be trusted.” As the two men began to talk details, you leaned back in your seat, rubbing at your forehead with your fingertips. _He’s going home, and I’m going with him._

You were excited and nervous at the same time, the voices of the men background noise to your thoughts. _I’ll need to pack. I’ll need to take pretty much everything, but that feels like …_ You were pulled out of your thoughts by the Mandalorian repeating your name again, and you blinked furiously to focus. “What? I’m sorry, I -” 

“Will you be able to take care of everything to leave in a week?” _A week?_ You looked at Luke, who said nothing, just watching you. “I shouldn’t need longer, but if you -” _A refresher course in lightsabers in a week? Saying goodbye to my friends, getting my credits in order …_

“A week is perfect.” As soon as you said it, you felt an overwhelming sense of relief. “One question, though. How … how much room will I have for my things? And Grogu’s? He has more now than when he came here, and months are -”

“You’ll have more room on Mandalore than on my ship.” You heard him inhale. “Pack light. Whatever else you need, we can get after … we meet.” Agreeing, you turned your head to the side and pressed a hand to your mouth, closing your eyes. _Guess I’m not taking everything._ “Is that -”

“That’s fine, Mandalorian.” You spoke quietly, trying to keep your voice even. “More than fine.” The conversation ended shortly after that, and you and Luke sat in silence for long moments, the only sound your breathing. 

“You’ll need to begin your build as soon as possible, then.” Glancing over, you saw that the thoughtful look was back on his face. “You can start tonight, if you want, we have materials on hand for you to choose from, and the architect droid is available to you whenever you need it.” Nodding, you felt your heart rate quicken. “But first, it’s time to go and tell Grogu that he’s …” Luke paused, shoulders lowering slightly. “That he’s going back to his clan.” 

\--- 

It only took the two of you a few minutes to find the child, toddling around in the supervised room with the other younglings, robes trailing on the ground behind him as they played together. He sensed your presence almost immediately, turning to face you, but stopped moving when he saw Luke standing next to you. ****Trouble?**** You smiled, kneeling down and holding your arms out. “Nope, kiddo. Come here.” He walked toward you cautiously, head angled up and looking between you and the man curiously, but when you touched him, you were a split second too slow to wipe the thought of the Mandalorian from your mind, Grogu’s eyes widening and a sharp cry leaving his mouth. ****Hurt?**** “No, it’s ok, kid. I promise.” 

The three of you walked into the hallway silently, though you knew that Luke could also hear the child’s endless questions, but the man’s mind was blank. _Calm down, kid. Give him a second._ Grogu narrowed his eyes at you, frowning and you bit back a laugh at the expression, turning him in your arms so that he could look at Luke. “Grogu.” He stilled at the sound of Luke’s voice, going silent. “How would you feel about taking a trip?” ****Trip?**** You nodded, and so did Luke. ****Where?**** But Luke didn’t respond, instead looking to you. _Oh, I get to …_ You took a deep breath, turning him in your arms again and raising him up so that he was closer to eye-level. 

Grogu’s eyes were full of curiosity, his little mouth moving as he watched you, and you decided to go for it, offering him a large smile. “You and I are gonna go on a trip, kid. We’re gonna go and see your dad.” His reaction was immediate - and it made your knees buckle, Luke reaching out to steady you. _Oh, I’ve never felt anything like …_ The child was nearly vibrating with joy, mouth open in a wide smile and his arms waving in the air. ****Home!**** Luke’s grip tightened but then he let you go and you focused on Grogu, unsure of what else to say. _Yeah, kid. Home. You’re gonna get to see the Mandalorian again, and we get to get outta here for a little while._ You winked at him. “I have a couple things I need to do here before we can leave, but…” You leaned in, whispering into his ear, rubbing the end between two fingers. “We’re leaving in a week, kid.” 

Even Luke laughed at Grogu’s reaction, a loud squeal and his hands clapping together only a few inches from your face. “Alright, Grogu. Let’s let her get to work.” He turned his head toward Luke and then back toward you, cocking it to the side. “She’s got a lightsaber to build.” 

\--- 

Luke and Grogu had walked you down to one of the workshops, both of them stopping at the doorway and waiting. “I gotta go in now, kid.” You reached out, thumbing over one of his chubby cheeks and smiled again. “Gotta build this so I can help keep you safe when we’re on Mandalore.” ****Safe with him.**** You nodded, eyes flicking to the doorway. ****Safe with you.**** “That’s the idea, pal.” 

You’d stayed awake through the night, listening carefully to the droid’s instructions as you dug through the spare parts and machinery, trying to pick out the pieces you thought would work for your hilt, scrounging through the electronics to find the parts that were rattled off by the ever present, overly helpful droid standing across the table from you. _I’m lucky,_ you realized right around daybreak, as you pushed your hair away from your face. _I have a workshop, I have tools, I have materials… others aren’t this lucky._

You hadn’t tried to do anything fancy with the hilt; it was a standard cylinder shape, with notched metal near the end of the sleeve for better grip; the switch and endcap ringed with bronze accents that matched the handle part of the sleeve, but the top portion of the sleeve featured the most detail - tiny inscriptions that you painstakingly etched in - the coordinates of your home planet included. 

You were proud of what you’d done with the scraps of titanium and durasteel, even _somehow_ finding a tiny cube of pure gold to melt down and fill in the etchings with. It was simple but effective, and though you were sure that if you’d had more time, you could have done _better_ , you were happy with the outcome, turning over the smooth hilt in your hands and raising it to catch the light. Glancing at the table to your left - the place you’d insert it before attempting to ignite it for the first time, testing the construction and shielding your face in case of an untimely explosion, you groaned. _Not today. I need some sleep._

You cleaned up the majority of your scraps and trash, storing what you needed in one bin and throwing the unusable parts into the incinerator slot, and stood up to stretch. “Lunch. And then sleep, and then I’ll… try the circuits and the emitter.” You knew that the interior was the most important part of the saber, and didn’t want to _attempt_ it while you were less than completely alert. _Gotta make sure this thing doesn’t kill me when I turn it on._

Turning the lights off as you left the room after powering down the droid, you took the lift back to the dining hall, almost on autopilot as you made your way through the line, picking things that wouldn’t take you too long to eat. _I just want to sleep. I need to lay down, I…_

You knew that Grogu was in class and wouldn’t come in while you ate, but you were still unprepared for Bari’s intrusion, the man sliding into the seat across from you unannounced. _Oh, he’s upset._ You sighed as you felt the emotion, forcing yourself not to look up until he spoke, continuing to spoon broth into your mouth. “Were you going to tell me you’re _leaving?”_ He leaned in, brow furrowed. “We were supposed to go out this weekend, and I had to find out from one of the _Padawans_ that you and Grogu are -” 

“We’re leaving next week, yes.” You sighed. “We’re going to -” 

“Why are you going with him? That Mandalorian can -” You gritted your teeth, fighting the urge to snap back at the man. “Isn’t he supposed to be some fierce warrior? Capable of -”

“I’m not sure what he’s capable of, actually.” You took a drink from your cup, setting it down carefully. “I know what Grogu’s… _thoughts_ are about him, and what I’ve read about the Mandalorians, but I …” _I don’t know him, though._ “But if you’re talking about him being capable of protecting Grogu?” You shook your head. “Of course he is, but he still needs to _get there_ first, and there’s no way Master Skywalker or anyone else or _I_ would let him jump into a ship and fly across the galaxy by himself, Bari. That’s kriffing …” You stopped, thinking. “What aren’t you saying?” 

You looked directly into his eyes for the first time that day, not trying to keep his thoughts out. _Say it, Bari._ “I don’t understand why you have to go. How long will you be gone for?” You chewed on your lower lip.   
  
“I’m not sure. There’s no time limit, no… no return date. Everyone’s trying to give Grogu a choice, and if he thinks we’re rushing him, he -”

“He’s a damn _kid_ , and you’re letting him _choose_ whether or not he wants to stay with the man that -” Bari’s nostrils flared. “So I’m just supposed to sit here and not know when you’ll be back? Know that you’re at the mercy of a damn Mandalorian for the -” 

“They’re not barbarians.” You pushed your plate away, crossing your arms over your chest. “And anyone that cares as much about a kid as much as _this_ Mandalorian cares about Grogu won’t be dangerous to me - or to him. I’m not a threat to him, and I’m escorting his kid home.” _Home._ You turned the word over in your head, feeling yourself smile slightly. “And it’s not like you and I are _together_ , Bari, so I appreciate the concern, but I’m going. I’m not afraid, and this isn’t your decision.” Unlike the last time you’d left a planet you considered home, you were making the choice this time - not running, but _traveling_ , doing your part. “I’m not meant to be a Jedi, but maybe I… maybe this is what I was supposed to do, you know? Help the kid get back to his dad and figure out his place in the galaxy.” 

“We’re not together because you’d never give it a chance.” He stood, smacking a hand down against the table. “But by all means, _go._ Fly halfway across the galaxy to get that kid back to the King of Mandalore, so that he can spend an hour a day with him while he figures his druk out.” Bari leaned forward, lip curled, but even though what he said was meant to hurt you, you _felt_ that believing it hurt him, too. “You’re better than this. You deserve to be treated like more than a glorified nurse droid.” With a gasp, you recoiled from him and Bari turned away from the table, striding away without saying anything else. 

You considered going after him, but chose not to, instead returning to the remainder of your meal, picking through the remnants. _He’s wrong. The Mandalorian will make time for Grogu. He wouldn’t have wanted him to come back if …_ But at least _part_ of Bari’s outburst was true - he was the King of Mandalore - the Mand’alor - and _would_ be busy. _Wait, should I have been calling him that instead of …_ You clapped a hand over your mouth, eyes widening. _Oh, I must have offended him, I should have known better._ “I’ll apologize.” You sighed, lowering your hand and your head. “As soon as I meet him, I’ll apologize.” 

Ignoring the rest of the people around you, you finished your meal in complete silence. 

\--- 

It was late that night when you finally removed your goggles and gloves, staring down at the table in front of you. After a few hours of rest, you’d returned to the lower level, greeting the droid once it was back online, and picking up where you left off. The circuits and interior components assembly had gone much faster than the exterior construction, but when it came time to insert the kyber crystal into the chamber, you were nervous. _This is where it all goes wrong._

But instead of letting that fear overtake you, you rationalized that the Gathering and building was typically completed by people _half_ your age, if not younger, and _they_ most often turned out fine. That thought clear in your head, you reached forward, picking up the tiny crystal and holding it in front of your eyes. “I know this is supposed to take longer. And I’m supposed to _win_ you in the Trials, and …” You sighed. “Just _please_ don’t blow up on me? I gotta get that kid home, and I don’t want the Mandaorian’s first impression of me to be covered in bacta and bandages.” _You’re talking to a rock._ You laughed out loud at the thought, swearing under your breath, and then lowered your hand toward the hilt, the crystal held between your fingers. “Here we go.”

Sliding it into place - there was _just_ enough room in the central chamber - you took a deep breath, twisted the emitter into position to close it up, and shut your eyes. Fingers wrapping around the cylinder, you lifted it slowly, thumb sliding up and toward the switch. _Wait._ You opened your eyes, thinking. _If it’s powered by the crystals which are powered by the Force then …_ You concentrated on the metal held in your hand, focusing on the crystal inside of it, though you didn’t know what you were looking for. _Maybe I’ll know it when I …_ You felt it then, a miniscule shift of the crystal’s position, realigning itself in the small chamber, and then you felt the weight of the hilt all but disappear in your hand, your eyes once again open. _Oh, it…_ You glanced down at your hand, thumb again on the switch. _It’s going to light. It’s going to work._

You were certain of it - almost as certain as you’d been when you stepped across the floor of the cave toward the kyber in the first place, and _just_ as certain as you’d been when you’d found Grogu in the forest. Taking one last deep breath, you lifted the hilt higher, angling it up and away from you, and pushing up on the switch. Within seconds, you heard a familiar hum, the handle buzzing gently in your hand, and the lightsaber ignited, bathing the room in a pale glow.

It wasn’t bright blue or green, nor was it purple or yellow. _Your_ lightsaber was instead a rich golden color, and as you turned it gently in your hand, you noticed an undertone to the blade’s center - an almost darker orange, tinged with pink that reminded you of the setting sun. _Oh, that’s… beautiful._ You spun it in your hand twice, getting a feel for it, and in those two turns, you felt the training you’d had come back, the grin on your face growing as you laughed. “Oh, I missed … I missed this.” Stepping back from the table entirely, you continued to move your wrist, waving the blade of light around to ensure that the beam was steady. It didn’t go out and after a few minutes you extinguished it, letting out a deep breath and clipping it to your belt before you covered it with your shirt. _Probably shouldn’t just have that on display while I’m going to bed._

You cleaned everything up and then left the room again, stopping at one of the terminals on your way and sending a message to Luke, telling him that whenever he was ready to restart your weapons training, you were, too. _I feel like I have a purpose. I feel … this feels right._ You didn’t try to conceal your emotion as you headed back to your room, and you knew that if Grogu was even close to being awake, he’d feel it, so you quickly changed into your bedclothes and climbed between the blankets, eyes on the ceiling. _He’s going to come tonight. He’ll be too excited to sleep, he -_

Like clockwork, you heard the door creak open and saw the faint strip of light, Grogu’s quiet coos reaching your ears a second later. “C’mon, kid.” He was in his carriage this time, hovering low to the ground, and instead of waiting for you to reach for him, he raised it and then climbed out, pressing one button with a finger and sending it off into the corner before turning to face you. ****You’re very happy.**** “I am.” He reached out, putting a hand atop yours and closing his eyes, thinking. You felt him in your mind, and made it simpler for him, _thinking_ of the color of your blade, letting him see how it looked, feel the way it felt in your hand. “You’re getting stronger, little one.” Grogu opened his eyes and then blinked at you. ****You too.**** “Nah, I’m just more confident, I guess. I built that thing and didn’t hurt anyone.”

He laid down next to you, and you pulled the blankets up and around both of you, making sure that they didn’t cover his face. His mind was racing, but the thoughts were all disjointed; images of desert landscapes racing by, of the Mandalorian’s side profile, glints of light from the stars reflecting off of his armor in the darkness, the Mudhorn, a river of lava, a woman with long, dark hair and a wide smile, children in a classroom. The more he showed you, the more he wound down, but his thoughts always cycled back to the Mandalorian before they raced forward. “You got a lot going on in there tonight, don’t you.” You murmured the words, feeling that both of you were falling asleep. “Lots to say, hmm?” He didn’t answer, just quietly cooed from in front of you, and then you felt one of his hands tighten around your arm, a single memory standing out in his mind. 

He was sitting on a crate, the Mandalorian next to him, and there was a bowl in his hands. To your surprise, you watched as the Mandalorian lifted his helmet slightly, taking a long drink from the matching bowl that he held. _Wait, what?_ Dumbfounded, you let the memory continue playing, watching as the man did it again, a glimpse of his chin and lower lip visible - just for a second. _But that means…_ “Grogu.” He startled at the use of his name and you watched as he sleepily blinked up at you. “You’ve seen his face, haven’t you?” ****Yes.**** “Don’t _ever_ let me see it, alright? You’re his _aliit,_ I’m not. I have no right to … _please_ don’t ever … don’t take that away from him.” ****It is the Way.****

It was the most serious thought you’d ever heard from him, but you felt that he was agreeing with you, making a promise that no matter how close he felt to you, he wouldn’t compromise the Mandalorian’s creed by even giving you a larger glimpse of the face hidden beneath the helmet. _But_ _I’m glad you know what your dad looks like._

As Grogu’s breaths lengthened, you felt yours doing the same, the activities from the previous few days finally catching up with you. _If he took his helmet off for the kid, there’s no way he’d ever let anything happen to him. Bari’s out of his mind. It’ll be perfectly safe with him._ Eyes closed, you began to drift off when you heard one more of Grogu’s thoughts - this one drawn out and slow, coming from the edges of sleep. ****Both safe.****

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Friday night’s going to be a weekly thing for this story moving forward. I want to try to have it up around 6-7 PM EST, but I got very sidetracked today, so it’s late. 
> 
> The chapter can also be found on Tumblr at https://something-tofightfor.tumblr.com/post/643600142929428480/magnetic-chapter-2-all-the-time-in-the-galaxy - you can ask to be tagged if you'd like.


	4. The Mandalorian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your journey across the galaxy to meet the Mandalorian with Grogu is well underway - but what will you find when you reach Nevarro and come face to helmet with him for the first time? ... And where will you go from there? 
> 
> * Cara Dune is mentioned in this chapter and in future chapters, but the only physical detail I mention is her hair (I think) - so just imagine her as someone else if you need to. I get the controversy over the actress, but I love the character despite this... and she needed to be there because Reader needs another female to speak to about Mando that’s going to tell it like it is.*

For the third morning in a row, you were curled up on the floor in the cargo hold of the light freighter transporting you from the Academy’s planet to Nevarro. Your destination was a barren planet located smack dab in the center of the Ash Worlds sector, and you’d never been so far from home. 

It was a long trip, even traveling through hyperspace, and you were growing anxious. _But it’s the last day._ You sighed, stretching out, and were surprised to see that Grogu wasn’t next to you anymore. _I wonder where he…_ But you figured it out quickly, following the sounds of laughter into the cockpit, where the child was sitting in the copilot’s seat, staring out the front window of the ship and into space. “You’re not bothering Terys, are you, kid?” He turned his head up and toward you and the woman laughed, shaking hers. 

“He’s not. He climbed in here all on his own, but he’s just been sitting and watching.” _Good._ You weren’t uncomfortable on the ship, but were looking forward to stretching your legs when you landed, breathing fresh air and figuring out what came next. _For both of us._ “We’ll be dropping out of hyperspace in about an hour, and then it’s only a few more from there. We made good time.” 

“No, Terys, _you_ made good time.” Sliding around the seat, you reached down, picking Grogu up and settling him in your lap, facing forward. ‘I’m surprised they let you pilot us out here, I’m sure you have so much more to do, you’re the -” 

“I wanted to.” She turned her head toward yours, a mischievous look in her eyes. “Never seen a real Mandalorian before.” You laughed at that, _feeling_ her excitement, though you’d been practicing keeping yourself more closed off in preparation for meeting him yourself. You’d told Grogu what you were doing, telling him that you didn’t want to overhear anything you weren’t supposed to, but he wrapped his fingers around yours, squeezing. ****Harder with beskar.****

You hadn’t even considered that. Beskar was exceedingly rare, and the only time you’d seen it in person was when you’d handled the pendant Grogu wore around his neck; gleaming silver in the shape of a Mythosaur. You knew it was strong, knew that it was valuable, and also knew that the Mandalorian was covered in it, mainly as a result of the spoils of his assignment to find and return Grogu in the first place. _But Grogu could read him, at least partially, because he …_ “You might not even see one this time, Terys. He might not be there when we land, there could be delays, or -” 

“Master Skywalker sent a transmission. He’ll be there, he’s already landed.” You couldn’t help smiling at the thought that within a few hours, Grogu would be reunited with the man, and your adventure would begin. “I’m going to land the ship and head into the town with you, spend the night, refuel, and then leave tomorrow. There has to be a _reason_ I’m there, so I can’t just touch down and then take off.” She was right - but you didn’t reply right away, focusing on Grogu, who was babbling away on your lap, one hand clutching the pendant, the other resting on your forearm. _Keeping yourself occupied, kid?_ “He … they trust you, but I’m supposed to make sure that -”

“That the kid’s safe, right?” You looked down. “I get it. He’s important, and he’s … it makes sense.” You knew that once you left the ship, you’d need to keep it with you at all times, but your lightsaber was tucked into your bag, along with your cloak and the few other things you’d brought from the Academy. _Essentials,_ you thought. _Packed light, just like he …_ Since you didn’t know how long you’d be gone, you’d cleaned out your quarters, storing everything you _didn’t_ take in one of the unused lower rooms. You carried more credits in your bag than you ever had before in your life, and you knew that Grogu also had his fair share tucked away, packed by someone else while you took care of everything _you_ needed to. “Gotta make sure everyone’s who they say they are, right?” 

“Yeah.” Terys settled back in her chair, rotating it slightly toward you. “Marshal on the planet’s name is Cara Dune, I’ve been in contact with her, and she -” But you widened your eyes, looking down at Grogu. ****Cara!**** _Your friend!_ You bounced him on your lap a few times, hearing the sound of his laughter. “She’s excited to see him again, I guess she was there when Master Skywalker found Grogu.” _Of course she was._

It was fuzzy, because he’d been groggy, but Grogu’s memories were filled with the people that had been on the ship - and in the room with him - when he first met Luke and the shiny blue and white droid that rarely left the man’s sight. You knew their names and faces well, knew how he _felt_ about each of them, and were ready to meet them yourself, if given the chance. “Who wouldn’t be excited to see him, hmm?” Grogu’s grip on your arm suddenly tightened, and you went quiet, thinking. _Use the fresher, change clothes, get Grogu ready._ You knew you had time, but you were restless after waking, and weren’t ready to eat. ****Go. Fine here.**** He was making noises again, turning on your lap, and only a few seconds later, Grogu was looking up at you, hands hanging at his sides. “What?” He blinked slowly, tilting his head, but Grogu didn’t reply - and you didn’t catch a single one of his thoughts. 

\--- 

The drop from hyperspace hadn’t been as sudden as you thought it would be, and by the time you’d begun the landing process, you were giddy with excitement. _Everything’s new. Everything is … I’ve never done any of this before._ Grogu was in his floating cradle in the cockpit, giving you the opportunity to gather all of your things together, but you were somewhat concerned with how quiet he was. _You ok, kid?_ Pausing as you loaded the bags next to the ramp, you concentrated on him. _You’re quiet._ ** **Fine.**** There was a pause. ****Scared.**** Dropping the last bag, you quickly went back to where he and Terys were, scooping him out of the container and sitting down again, strapping yourself in. _Why are you scared?_ ** **Been too long.**** “Oh, Grogu.” You dropped your head, kissing the top of his, and saw that Terys was pointedly trying to ignore the two of you, hands on the navigational equipment as she guided the ship toward the planet. ** **What if -****

You could feel that he was nervous, the apprehension making his tiny body rigid. _Oh, no. You have nothing to worry about. He’s gonna be so happy to see you._ He relaxed - slightly - and you continued to think, keeping your eyes forward. _He’s your dad, kid. He loves you. He missed you. You’ll see._ He didn’t answer back, and though you couldn’t hear his actual thoughts, you realized that you could still feel his emotions. _You hiding from me now?_ A single word came back - the force of it surprising you. ****Yes.**** _Well fine, then._ You kissed the top of his head again, holding back a smile. _I didn’t want to know what you were thinking anyway._ He laughed at that, and you watched Terys turn her head toward you, smiling too. “You talking to him?” 

“Yeah.” You sighed, eyes still on the planet in front of you as it came into focus. You were beneath the clouds, but high enough to keep you well above the jagged peaks of the arid landscape below you, and it was unlike anything you’d expected. _There aren’t any trees, there’s nowhere to…_ The planet that the Academy was on wasn’t as forested as your home planet, but this was a drastic difference from both. Instead of trees and water, you saw only scrubby brush and cracked, dry ground - presumably from the lava fields you knew ran across the planet. _There’s water somewhere, though. Otherwise …_ “Yeah, it’s easier to think sometimes, just makes the conversation go faster, you know?” She nodded in agreement. “I’m so used to just _thinking_ when I’m with him, not having to speak, and it’s going to take some getting used to since the Mandalorian isn’t …” 

“I’ve heard they’re hard to handle.” Terys pressed a few buttons above her head and the ship began descending slowly. “Especially _this_ one. He’s got a reputation. People don’t … people don’t cross him.” You stayed silent, waiting. “And how that he’s King of Mandalore? People talk. I hear a lot when I fly between planets, and _I_ think that between the two of them?” She gestured to Grogu with one hand. “You’re gonna have your hands full.” Considering her words, you rolled your eyes. 

“I’m not here to have my hands full of _anything_ except this little one.” You tightened your hold on Grogu briefly. “The Mandalorian is an -” 

“He’s waiting for us.” She paused. “Well, for the two of you.” Squinting your eyes, you saw that she was right, and you felt your heart rate increase. “Looks like there’s a couple speeders, too. At least we won’t have to walk.” You locked your eyes on the single figure in the distance, watching as it grew larger by the second. _There he is, kid._ Grogu grew restless as you got closer, and by the time you were able to see the sunlight glinting off the top of his helmet, he was struggling to get off of your lap, the sounds coming out of his mouth a combination of frustration and excitement. 

“Hey, buddy. Hang on.” You tried to comfort him, even though you knew it was useless, and as soon as you felt the gentle thump of the landing gear making contact with the planet’s surface, you were unbuckled and out of your seat, heading for the door. “I think we can leave the bags for now, and maybe his carriage too. We’ll get it all later.” ****Down. Down. Down.**** Terys’ reply was lost in Grogu’s high pitched squeals, and with a short laugh, you crouched down, setting his feet on the floor and tugging his robe - the one he’d _come_ to the Academy in - back into place. “Please be careful. The last thing I want is for you to trip and fall, and for him to think -” ****I’m**** ** _ **fine.**_** He shuffled closer to the ramp, and before you could say anything else, it began to lower, the hot, dry air rushing in. 

Grogu moved as soon as he could, following the ramp as it descended, you only a few steps behind him. You’d never seen him move so quickly, and even though you wanted to call out to him, telling him to slow down, you didn’t, hanging back and crossing your arms over your chest as you followed his footsteps through the dirt and dust toward the Mandalorian. He’d moved too, in the time that it took you to land and settle in, and you figured that the man was only twenty yards away from the ship - but you didn’t focus on him, instead watching Grogu’s path. _Go get him, kid._

He wasn’t yelling; instead, as he moved, he made a noise you’d never heard before, a series of coos and warblings that rose in volume the closer he got. _Close your mind._ You let out a deep breath, reminding yourself that you _weren’t_ here to listen to others - there was no reason to - and you didn’t want to intrude on their reunion. 

When Grogu was only a few yards away, you finally glanced up, watching as the Mandalorian’s cape fluttered in the breeze, the man dropping to one knee and holding an arm out. “Grogu.” You didn’t need to read his mind to know what he was thinking; it was perfectly clear in the single, heavily modulated word, the last syllable catching in his throat. The child’s head barely reached the man’s knee level, but he kept his arms stretched out, ears flapping with each step as the final gap was closed. You _felt_ the moment that they made contact with each other; a blindingly joyful reunion, and your lips parted, one hand reaching up to cover them as your teeth dug into the muscle between your thumb and forefinger, not wanting to make any noise. _Oh, stars._

The Mandalorian stood after gathering Grogu into his arms, and you finally took a few more steps closer when you saw the child reach up with both hands, fingertips touching either side of the helmet as the man lowered his forehead toward the child’s. _He’s so tiny. He’s never looked this small before._ They stayed like that for long moments, heads bowed together, and though it was brief, you saw the shake of the heavily armored shoulders, the rise and fall of the man’s chest as he took in deep breaths. _How it should be. This is …_ “Thank you.” You sucked in a breath, hand dropping to your side as the Mandalorian straightened up, tilting his head to the side and looking in your direction around Grogu’s head as he said your name. “For bringing him ho… here.”

“Of …” You swallowed hard, moving closer. “Of course. I’m more than happy to…” Glancing between the two of them, you watched as he shifted Grogu effortlessly into the crook of his elbow, the kid facing you once more. “And look how happy he is. _Totally_ worth it.” The man glanced down at Grogu and then back at you, wordlessly. “Right, kid?” His ears down, Grogu only looked at you for a few seconds before he stared back up at the man holding him, his grip on the gloved fingers and forearm tightening. 

“Your things, are they on the -” You heard the tightness in his voice, the man hesitating when he spoke. “Are his -” _He doesn’t want to do this now, he just wants …_

“They are.” You gestured toward the speeders, noticing that only one was a single rider. “But go.” He cocked his head slightly, waiting. “Terys - the pilot - and I will load everything. Take him and go back into town. You guys have some catching up to do. You need some privacy.” The Mandalorian shifted on his feet and then turned, taking two steps toward one of the speeders before he glanced back over his shoulder, the side profile of his helmet almost more intimidating than looking at it head on. 

“There’s a small cantina, next to the inn?” You acknowledged the words. “Go there after you’ve settled into your room, I’ll… _we’ll_ meet you there.” _That isn’t enough time for you._

“Mandalorian?” You finally spoke, willing your voice not to shake. “Take your time. How about … I’ll meet you at sundown? That’s a few hours from now.” He didn’t answer, and you spoke again, reaching up to rub at your outer bicep, your skin warm and dry beneath your fingers from only a few minutes in the bright sunlight. “There’s no rush.” You didn’t think that he would speak again, but he surprised you and did, after giving you a single nod and then turning his head to face forward, toward the arch leading into town. 

“No, there isn’t.” Staying in place, you watched as he carefully loaded Grogu into one of the side bags, tightening the straps to make sure he didn’t fall out. Starting the speeder, the Mandalorian took off in the opposite direction - without looking back. _Bye, kid. See you soon._

“Well that was something.” Startled, you spun back around toward your ship, seeing that Terys was standing a few feet behind you, both hands on her hips and her eyes following the plume of dust from behind the moving speeder. “Guess we’re on our own?” She was amused, you could hear it in her voice and see it written on her face, but she wasn’t mad. _She still didn’t get to meet him._

“They needed time. And obviously, this is … he planned this. We’re close enough that we didn’t _need_ the speeders, but he…” You felt yourself smile and you looked down at the ground, nodding. “He did this for Grogu.” You had seen countless memories of riding speeders from Grogu’s point of view; the landscape flying by, almost able to feel the wind against your skin. “It’s fine. We don’t have much to load, and that speeder’s plenty big enough for both of us.” You turned to face her, a wide smile on your lips. “I’ll buy you a drink once we get into town and get our rooms.” 

“Deal.” 

\--- 

A few hours later, you and Terys were sitting at a table in the corner of the small cantina, cups of ale in front of you. You’d already eaten, and though the food on the ship wasn’t _bad_ , it was nice to have a freshly prepared meal in your stomach, something both of you agreed on. “How is it, for you?” She lifted her cup to her mouth, taking a long drink. “Are places like this worse than the Academy, because everyone’s just -” _I didn’t … no._ You blinked, realizing that even though there were plenty of people in the room, their thoughts weren’t overwhelming you.  
  
“Actually …” You took a drink of your own, eyes moving over the others gathered in the space. “When I was in training, before I stopped?” She nodded, waiting. “One of the Masters told me that everything depends on how … prevalent, I guess, the Force is.” _Explain it better._ “It doesn’t matter how many people there are somewhere, because it’s _everywhere,_ it just… there are certain places in the galaxy where it’s _stronger_ , where more people … are aware of it?” You stopped. “I’ve never really explained it before, because I’ve only really _been_ a few places for longer than a few days at a time. But it’s not as strong here, so I can sort of _feel_ what people are thinking, but I’d have to really concentrate to hear them clearly. At the Academy, I have to actively _close_ myself off just to keep myself from overloading sometimes.” It had taken time, but as the months passed, you found it easier. _People still get through, like Bari, but …_ “Since everyone there is… at a different level, I guess? When it comes to using the Force? Some people can keep their thoughts from me on their own, and others … can’t.”

“That makes sense.” She chewed on her lower lip. “Can you still feel Grogu here, though? Wouldn’t it be dangerous to send you off knowing that, if - “

“I can. I can always feel him.” You took another drink, the liquid cold against your throat. “And I think it’s because we’ve been so close for the last year. But like I said, I’d have to really work to have a conversation with him at this distance in a place like this.” Luke and the other Masters were much more knowledgeable than you, and you figured that they knew what they were doing sending the two of you off. _If it was dangerous, it wouldn’t have happened._ “It’s good, though, it gives him … _them_ privacy. And they deserve that.” 

“They’re here.” She widened her eyes. “ _Listen.”_ You did, not understanding at first, but then you got it. The room had gone almost silent at the entrance of the Mandalorian and Grogu, who was once again nestled in his floating carriage, which you and Terys had dropped off at the inn’s counter. _He’s got a history here, but they’re … they’re afraid of him._ You turned in your seat, making eye contact with Grogu, who peered over the edge of his carrier, waving at you. _Hi, you._ “I don’t know why I’m so _nervous_ ,” Terys whispered. “It’s not like ... “ _Not like what?_

Others would likely have felt at a disadvantage if they were suddenly unable to read the room entirely, but it was almost a blessing to you. Sensing the emotions of those around you, you could handle. But constantly hearing their thoughts at random? _I’m glad for the break._ The Mandalorian stopped next to your table, and out of instinct, you reached for Grogu with both hands, freezing as you realized that you didn’t have to. _Oh, I …_ Fighting back a frown, you winked at the kid instead, lowering both palms to the tabletop. _This is going to take some getting used to._ “Can I sit?” His words surprised you, but you didn’t hesitate. 

“You don’t need to ask permission.” You looked up, shrugging your shoulders as your eyes landed on the darkened T-shape of his visor. “This is more your town than mine.” 

“It’s not.” He lowered himself into the seat with more agility than you would have thought possible for someone covered in so much beskar, hands resting on his lap. “Not … not anymore.” Slowly, the conversation in the room began again, but the Mandalorian didn’t speak, and neither did you, instead turning your attention back to Grogu, who’d settled down, head turning back and forth between you and the man. 

Unsure of how to fill the silence, you glanced at Terys, who shrugged, and then back at Grogu. “Have you eaten, kid? We can order you something.” 

“We did.” The modulated voice came again, the Mandalorian’s head angling down toward the carriage. “I don’t know when he usually -”

“Set mealtimes, but he snacks a lot.” You admitted it, finally reaching for Grogu and rubbing your thumb over the back of his hand. “I’m sure you know how much he loves eating.” ****He does.**** It was a relief to hear Grogu’s thoughts again, even after only a few hours, and even moreso to hear how relaxed he sounded. “Can’t blame him though, he’s really busy all day, so -” You saw the Mandalorian lean back in his seat, your gaze rising from Grogu to the man. _Oh, I should introduce …_ “This is Terys, by the way. She’s our pilot, and -” 

“You made good time.” He spoke directly to the woman without addressing her, and even though you couldn’t _see_ his eyes, you knew by the shift of his head’s position that he was looking at her - or at the very least, was looking in her direction. “Have you flown to Nevarro before?” 

“N-no.” She straightened up, the tremor in her voice audible. “Flown a lot of places, but mostly mid and inner-rim lately. I used to exclusively fly in the Core, but …” She lifted her cup again, gesturing with it. “Things change.” 

“They do.” His tone gave nothing away, and you found yourself leaning slightly toward him, just watching. “Fast.” You wondered how quickly his life moved in his mind, what it felt like to be the man, how much he thought about all of the changes that had taken place throughout his lifetime. ****Ask.**** Your attention snapped back to Grogu in surprise. _No way._ You glanced at the Mandalorian and then back at the child. _I wouldn’t ever._

“So.” Terys cleared her throat, still holding her cup in one hand. “You know Nevarro well?” She was focused on the Mandalorian, her eyes on his helmet. “I hear it’s changed a lot in the -”

“It has.” You looked up and toward the source of the new voice. “I’m Cara Dune, Marshal of Nevarro for the New Republic.” She stuck out her hand and you reached up to shake it, grinning at the woman. Pulling her hand from yours, she gave Terys a quick nod but didn’t offer to shake her hand, instead leaning over and scooping Grogu out of his carriage, lifting him up as she squealed in happiness, his arms waving. The Mandalorian followed the movement with a subtle shift of his body, the lower edge of his helmet engled upward. “Oh, you little womp rat, you got _big.”_ Cara moved to the other side of the man, sitting on the bench seat and keeping Grogu close. “Wanted to come see you earlier, but I got told _no_ and so did Karga. He’ll be here soon, it’ll be like -” She glanced at the Mandalorian, wrinkling her nose as Grogu’s fingers closed around a loose lock of her hair. “Like old times.” 

“Karga’s coming? Tonight?” The Mandalorian let out a breath. “Dank _ferrik_. I thought -” 

“He wouldn’t miss it, Mando.” Cara tweaked Grogu’s nose with her fingers and then leaned over, placing him back atop his blankets. “You know how he is. Plus I thought -” 

“I do.” It was only two words, but you heard the finality in them. “Can I … talk to you?” He swiveled his head toward you, one gloved hand landing on the tabletop. “Outside?” Though confused at the abrupt shift in conversation, you nodded and then stood, draining the rest of your drink and telling Terys to order you another if she wanted. He stepped away from the table and you followed the Mandalorian back through the cantina, trying to ignore the looks you got from the other patrons. Once outside, you glanced up at the slowly darkening sky, smiling at the sun setting in the distance as you walked next to the Mandalorian, headed slowly in the direction of the ships. “I wanted to talk to you.” _I figured, otherwise…_ But you stopped yourself, realizing that you needed to disregard everything you _assumed_ about the man, waiting for him to reveal the truth to you. 

“That’s probably a good idea, since we’ll be in … well, since we’ll both …” The Mandalorian stopped suddenly, turning his entire body toward you. His hands hung at his sides, and you stared at him, waiting. You noticed the blaster at his hip, the bandolier across his chest, a smaller one secured around his boot. He would have been imposing without the ammunition, but it added to the overall effect - you knew it and he knew it, though you didn’t think he considered it much _. It’s just his life._

“I’ve heard about you.” He paused. “About _people_ like you, that can … like _him_ , like Ahsoka.” You waited for him to continue, and after a few seconds, he did. “I know Grogu can talk with you, but Skywalker also warned me … can you read my mind?” It was blunt, but you appreciated the candor from him. “Do you know what -” 

“Can I try?” It was bold of you, but you knew that sometimes, the non-Force sensitive could _feel_ when you were listening to them, and you didn’t want to shock him if that was the case. “You might feel a -” 

“Yes.” Turning your attention toward the Mandalorian, you looked again at the visor, thinking. _Wait._

“If there’s anything you don’t want me to know, try to … _not_ think of it. It’s… Sometimes I just see _everything_ , and I…” You swallowed. “I know that your name isn’t something you give freely. I know that to see your face is … unacceptable.” He straightened his shoulders. “Grogu’s … I know he’s seen your face, and he’s kept it from me this whole time, even without me asking, so you don’t have to …” He stood still in front of you, and when he didn’t speak, you lowered your head, sighing. “Alright. Anyway.” You brought your eyes back up and looked at his head again, focusing. 

You could _feel_ the man’s presence when you concentrated, a low, thrumming energy, and you realized that he was tightly coiled, though his posture didn’t betray him. _He’s always ready, he’s always on edge, and he’s …_ You felt that he was relieved, too, but there were no solid thoughts, nothing in focus. Frowning, you took a deeper breath, still eyeing him, and even though you picked up on some of the people around you, you couldn’t get a read on the Mandalorian. “Well?” 

“I …” You lifted a hand, head shaking back and forth. “Can I touch your arm? Or maybe your hand? Even through the glove, it …” He didn’t move for long seconds, but then he lifted his right arm from his side, turning his palm up toward you. You didn’t hesitate, reaching up and placing your hand flat atop his and closing your eyes in concentration. The emotions were stronger, and you sensed more anxiety, discontent deep within the man, but still no clear words or thoughts except - “Grogu.” You opened your eyes, pulling your hand back. “All I can … I can feel you, but … the only thing I _know_ you’re thinking about is the kid. I think it’s the beskar, it interferes with …” You chewed on your lip. “Your thoughts are safe, Mandalorian. I’ll be … the stronger your emotions, the more likely I am to feel them, but I… oh, _stars_ , it’s going to be _amazing_ traveling with you. The kid’s trying to hide more of his thoughts from me. I can’t read you. It’s going to be _silent_ for once, and I won’t have to -” 

“I thought of him every day.” His voice was quieter than it had been. “I promised him I’d see him again, but part of me thought …” His arms were crossed over his chest, head turned to the side. “I … thought -” 

“Well he’s here now. And he will be for a while. I’ll try to keep out of your way as much as possible. This trip isn’t about _me_ , and I don’t want -” 

“He needs you.” The Mandalorian’s helmet was facing forward again. “You’re here because he needs you. I saw you reach for him earlier, and then stop. You don’t have to do that.” _I do. I do, because he’s not …_

“If you say so.” You shrugged, deciding to follow his lead. “Did you bring me out here just to make sure that I couldn’t read your thoughts? Or -” He chuckled, or at least you thought he did, and then went quiet again. 

“You aren’t afraid of me.” It wasn’t a question, but he didn’t give you a chance to reply before he continued. “I’m glad. But … why? Have you met other -”

“No, you’re my first Mandalorian.” You rubbed a hand against your cheek, looking down and then back up. “But the kid, he … he’s told me a lot about you, and I guess… he trusts you. So I do, too.” 

“Trust is earned.” The Mandalorian said your name, taking a half step closer and ducking his head slightly. “It has to be. Otherwise it means nothing.” He was right, but you were steadfast in your resolve, at least on your end. _I have no reason not to trust you. Luke wouldn’t have sent us here if there was reason to doubt you._  
  
“Then I hope to earn yours.” You smiled at him, reaching up to push hair behind your ear. “Also, I … I know I asked if I could call you ‘Mandalorian’, but I didn’t even consider … you’re the Mand’alor, so should I call you that instead? I don’t want to -” The last thing you wanted to do was offend him, so you figured getting things out into the open as quickly as possible was the best call. 

“You can call me Mando.” He straightened up, and you watched him look around at the still busy street. “When we get back to Mandalore, that may change, depending on …” He stopped. “But we aren’t going back to Mandalore right away.” _We’re not? But I thought …_ “Meeting on Nevarro wasn’t just because it was _convenient._ I’m here to …” Eyes widening, you glanced down as you felt him growing excited, the anxiety slipping back slightly. _Oh, he’s here to…_ “I didn’t want to talk about it in front of the pilot, because it’s not her concern, but …”

“You’re here for bounty pucks.” You whispered the words, feeling your own heart rate increase. “But I thought you wanted to spend time with -”

“I do.” He sighed again. “If we go back to Mandalore right away, I won’t get to … when I’m _there_ , things are … more political.” _Of course they are, you’re the King, and you’re expected to …_ “But here, or up _there?”_ He pointed toward the sky. “It… isn’t.” 

“I understand.” You did, and hoped that he knew you were telling the truth. “And he hunted with you before, so…” You shrugged again. “You’ll keep him safe, Mando.” Saying it for the first time, you felt the sound of it pull at your lips before you smiled again, closing your eyes. 

“No.” Your eyes reopened, head cocked to the side in question as he stared at you. “ _We_ will.” 

\--- 

After returning inside, you’d gone back to your table, sliding back in and lifting the new drink, toasting with Cara and Terys, the Mandalorian again leaning back in his seat silently. By the time Karga arrived, clapping a hand down onto the other man’s shoulder and introducing himself _loudly_ to you and the pilot, you were feeling more at ease than you’d ever felt out with the others from the Academy. _It’s because there’s no pressure. I don’t owe any of these people anything, aside from Grogu, and … it feels good._

Cara and Terys stepped away to play darts, leaving you, Mando, Karga and Grogu at the table, the little one climbing out of his cradle and toddling over the bench to the second man, climbing into his lap and settling there for a few minutes, the newcomer welcoming him excitedly. _He really does have friends here._ You smiled at the sight, introducing yourself and striking up a conversation with the man while Mando _again_ sat back, letting the two of you talk. It hadn’t taken long for Grogu to climb from Karga’s lap and into his father’s, and even as you continued your conversation, you saw the man’s gloved hand rise, his thumb stroking over the top curve of the kid’s ear. _He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it._

Grogu nodded off after only a few minutes, but Mando made no move to put him back into the cradle, instead asking Karga directly for the discussed pucks, one hand curled protectively around the kid’s body. “She knows. I told her earlier. You don’t need to hide them.” 

“I don’t need the Jedi on my tail.” Karga eyed you. “You won’t -”

“I’m not a Jedi. And it’s not like I’m checking in with them daily, either.” You shrugged, finishing your drink. “You don’t get a reputation like his without being good at what you do. As long as they know the kid’s _ok,_ they don’t need anything else.” You looked at the Mandalorian, giving him another smile. “And you don’t have to worry about me saying anything about what he does, or what you do.” 

“ _His_ reputation?” Karga laughed. “I have one too, you know.” But he was still smiling, reaching into his deep pocket and pulling out a handful of the pucks, quickly stacking them and sliding them toward the man that sat to your left. “Five of them to start. You know the rules. I picked mid-tier, just to -”

“That’s fine. Standard payment?” Karga nodded. “Good.” He reached for the stack, picking it up and glancing at the discs before reaching down and securing them in one of his waist pouches without flipping through them. “We -” 

“So, Mandalorian.” Terys was back at the table, Cara a few steps behind her. “What -” 

“Terys, stop.” You whispered the words, reaching forward to touch her arm. “You don’t -” You could feel the interest rolling off of her, and you were irritated that you hadn’t picked up on it earlier. _She wants to go to bed with him, that’s…_ “You’ve had too -”

“I have _not_.” She cleared her throat and you watched as Grogu was shifted from the Mandalorian’s lap and back into his cradle, the sides closing with a few punches of the buttons on his vambrance. “I just know what I want.” _I tried._ She dropped back into her seat and propped her head on her hand, eyes bright. “You’re a man under there, right? So you -”

You watched as Cara’s eyebrows rose and she turned away from the table, headed for the bar, Karga not far behind her. _Oh, boy. How do I …_ “I’m not… interested.” His voice was even, but you heard no emotion in it, the Mandalorian’s visor pointed directly at the pilot. “It wouldn’t … no.” She pouted for a few seconds, and you took the opportunity to stand, looking down at where the man still sat. 

“I’ll see you in the morning? Which ship is yours, I can meet you there.” You glanced at the carriage. “We -” The Mandalorian’s attention shifted to you; the whole upper half of his body turning along with his head.

“I’ll need to unlink his carriage, otherwise -” _What? No._

“He’s staying with you tonight, Mando.” You gave him a gentle smile. “Not me.” You watched the set of his arms tighten, keeping the smile on your face. “So just tell me -”

“But you said he comes to your room at night. What if he wakes up and -”

“He won’t.” You were sure of it. “If he wakes up, he’ll know you’re there, and won’t even _try_ to find me.” _He doesn’t need me anymore._ You caught Cara’s eye and the woman tilted her head toward the door, one eyebrow raised. _I’m trying._ “Goodnight, Mando.” Holding a hand out toward Terys, you laughed again, helping her to her feet. “Let’s get you to bed. You’re gonna need sleep to fly out tomorrow.” 

As the woman stepped around the table, she reached out with one hand, settling it on the Mandalorian’s shoulder briefly. He stiffened immediately, but you doubted the stumbling woman noticed. _He doesn’t like to be touched unexpectedly. Good to know._ “I’m in room 5 if you change your mind.” But she let you lead her from the bar, and you waved goodbye to the other two before stepping out into the darkness of the street. “You shoulda helped me. Did you see the _size_ of him? He would have -” 

“You just met him, you can’t expect…” But the woman laughed, the two of you headed back for the inn, and though it was only a few steps away, it seemed to take forever. _It’s a good thing we aren’t sleeping on the ship._

“He’s a bounty hunter turned King, he _has_ to live in the moment.” She sighed and unlocked her door. “Maybe he’ll show up.” _Yeah, I doubt that._ “Could you read him?” She leaned in the doorway, frowning. “What’s going on in that head of his? Could you see what he looks like under there?” 

“I don’t know. I couldn’t really _see_ anything.” You wrinkled your nose. “And I have no idea. I don’t want to.” _That’s a lie._ “Goodnight. I’ll see you before we go our separate ways tomorrow.” She closed the door and you walked to your room, locking the door behind you and laying down on the bed without even changing. _There’s no point. I’m just …_

Stretching out, you realized how exhausted you were - and how much you appreciated the small but soft mattress. _Back onto a ship tomorrow. Hopefully there’s a bench large enough for me._ Sighing, you closed your eyes, replaying the day - and your interactions with everyone on Nevarro - in your mind. _What a busy few hours._ __  
__  
But that night, you dreamed about the man’s eyes again - and this time, you could see the skin at the outside corners of them - both sides deeply creased, as if he was smiling.

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! I know the first couple chapters have been build up, but ... it kicks in with this one. Thank you all so much for reading this story and sending messages and leaving comments. I can’t wait for you to see what’s coming.


	5. Routine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking off from Nevarro and entering hyperspace for the first time with Mando and Grogu, you’ve got a lot to learn. Is the man going to welcome you onto the ship, or will it be much different than you imagine?

The following day, Karga and Cara walked with the four of you back toward the ships, Grogu floating next to the Mandalorian. You caught Terys still giving the man looks every now and then, a blush rising in her cheeks when he spoke, even though you knew she was regretting her behavior from the previous night. _It’s her own fault. She’s embarrassed, and he’s acting like nothing happened._

You knew in the grand scheme of things, it didn’t matter; Terys likely wouldn’t be your pilot when it came time to go back to the Academy, and she’d probably never see the Mandalorian again - unless she looked on purpose. _I wonder how many women try to … and how many he takes up on it._ You glanced over at the man as he walked, the beskar glinting in the early morning sun, and couldn’t help smiling. “So this is it, Mando.” Karga spoke as you stopped in front of a ship - something that looked to be a pre-empire gunship - and looked up at it, eyes narrowed. “Heading out with some help this time?” Terys continued walking, leaving your group behind, and Karga turned, his back to the ships and his eyes on the taller man in front of him. “Not like -”

“You act like this is the first time he’s taken off from Nevarro with the kid, Karga.” Cara’s arms were crossed over her chest and she eyed you before she looked at him, lips twitching into a smirk. She said your name and you swiveled your head, waiting. “Don’t let him or the kid lie to you, he flies _much_ better when there’s someone with more than three fingers in the co-pilot’s seat.” You caught Grogu’s thoughts at that, a loud “hey!”, and immediately began to laugh, one hand rising to cover your face. “What’s he thinking?” 

“He’s a little upset, Cara.” You raised an eyebrow, seeing the look on Grogu’s face, his tiny teeth bared and eyes screwed almost shut. “He -” You laughed again, even as the gangway of the ship began to lower, the Mandalorian pressing buttons at his wrist. “I think _he_ believes that he’s the best co-pilot that this ship has ever seen.” You heard a noise that could have been considered a snort from the Mandalorian’s modulator, but he didn’t say anything else, even though Cara and Karga joined you in quiet laughter. _That’s good to know. I made him laugh._ “Let me say goodbye to Terys, and and make sure I didn’t forget anything. Then …” You took a breath. “Then I’m ready.” 

“Five minutes.” The Mandalorian spoke directly to you, and with a single nod you turned away, headed back to the ship you’d flown to Nevarro on. It was quiet in the hold, and you knew that she was in the cockpit, prepping for takeoff. _Quick goodbye, a quick thank you, and a …_

“I made a fool of myself, didn’t I?” You heard her voice as you stepped through the doorway, the woman busy flipping switches on the console. “I threw myself at -” _Yeah, you did._

“No.” You leaned against the seat, watching her. “You just had a few too many after a couple days in hyperspace, and you … it happens. I’m sure he’s dealt with it before, and you … you won’t be the last, but I wouldn’t …” You shrugged your shoulders. “I’m sure I’ll say something really stupid to him while I’m on board, so there’s that to look forward to…” _I do always end up running my mouth._

“Doesn’t help.” But she finally laughed, rubbing a hand over her face. “The ale here is strong, so I …” _If that makes you feel better._ “Take care of that kid, alright? I don’t know him well, but this is a pretty … this isn’t a small thing, and I know …” She looked over at you. “He could be the future.” _I know. So do Luke and all of the …_ “You’re supposed to check in every few weeks, unless something goes wrong. You know how to send the -” _We’ve gone over this._

“Encrypted if possible, yes. Not from our… _his_ ship, and only right _before_ we leave one planet for the next, unless there’s an emergency. There’s…. There’s no _current_ threat, but we can’t be too careful.” _Not with Grogu. Not with Mando. Not with a …_ “Thank you, Terys. For getting us here. For getting him back to his family.” The woman waved you off with one hand, but you saw that she was smiling, too. 

“Yeah, yeah.” She took a deep breath. “Hope you have better luck with him than I did.” _What does that mean?_ “It’d be a pretty long couple months if he only says ten words to you.” You laughed at that, agreeing, and then pushed away from the seat, turning toward the cockpit doorway. “Take care of yourself.” You murmured the same to her and stepped out of the room, back toward the lowered ramp. With one final look around the hold, you set your shoulders and nodded to the empty room. _Alright, I guess it’s time to go._

Karga and Cara were gone, and it only took you a few steps to reach the Mandalorian’s ship, your feet light on the ramp as you climbed it. The cargo hold wasn’t quite _spacious_ , but it was larger than the ship you’d flown in on, and it had two levels. _Where you at, kid?_ ** **Up.**** You lowered your bag to the floor and then climbed the ladder to the cockpit entrance, seeing that Mando was already seated, Grogu in one of the extra chairs. _Pretty far back for a copilot, but…_ “Hey, pal.” You swiped at the top of his head with one hand, lowering yourself onto the other seat, but before you got comfortable, Grogu was climbing down from where he sat and toddling toward you. “No, kid, co-” But you bent down to grab him nonetheless, shifting him into one arm while you buckled up. “Sorry that took so long, I -” ****The ship. The ship.****

Grogu struggled in your arm, twisting his head to look up at you and whining quietly, paying no attention to your frown. _Calm down._ “What’s he saying?” You were still at least a few minutes from taking off, and he turned his head toward the two of you. “If he’s -” ****Different. Different ship. Not home.**** You stared down at him, blinking. _What? Do you want me to say that?_ ** **Yes.****

Gritting your teeth, you closed your eyes. “He… he says it’s different. The ship.” ****Not home.**** “He says it’s not home.” You winced as the words came out, but the Mandalorian didn’t even _move_. “I don’t know what that means, I’m -” 

“It’s not the same ship.” ****Huh?**** He spoke quietly. “I … he wouldn’t have …” The Mandalorian’s head lowered briefly and then he pressed another button before you heard the ramp closing, the cockpit doors sliding shut. “Let’s get out of here, and then I’ll explain.” You tightened your hold on Grogu, eyes on the window in front of you. _I don’t know what any of this means._

It only took seconds for you to feel the gentle vibration of the ship beneath you as you lifted off from the surface of the planet. Calming slightly, Grogu cooed in your lap as he watched the Mandalorian. The man’s gloved fingers wrapped around the shifter, his other hand firmly on the knob to his left as he faced forward. It was different than being in the cockpit with Terys; you could tell the man was comfortable in his ship, like he’d been flying in it for years - even though, according to him, it was new to him. 

You left the atmosphere of Nevarro, and instead of setting a course for one of the puck destinations, he set the ship to drift, fingers tightening around the controls. “The kid… Grogu is right. This isn’t the same ship he was last in.” ****Why?****

“He asked why.” You spoke quietly, feeling Grogu’s tension, his entire weight settled against your side. “He’s -”

“The day that he got … that he reached out to the Jedi on Tython, Moff Gideon, he …” The Mandalorian turned toward you and Grogu, finally reaching out for the kid. “He blew it up, pal. It’s gone.” The cooing turned into a low whine, and as you transferred his weight to the man’s hands, you felt your heart beating faster. _Oh, no._ The Mandalorian looked down at Grogu, whose eyes were wide, mouth hanging open. “Had to come get you with some new friends on a different ship, and it took me a while to find another one like this.” His helmet tilted up and toward you. “It’s the same design. Same … era, same _ship_ , but it’s not the Crest.” He cleared his throat. “Nothing ever will be, but at least it’s familiar.” ****Sorry.****

“He apologized.” You whispered the words, fingers curling into tight fists as you felt the tension in the room rise. “I think he’s sorry for -” The Mandalorian moved quickly, lifting Grogu and tucking him against the beskar on his chest. 

“No. No, no, _no,_ pal. Don’t be sorry.” He hugged Grogu tightly, head ducking all the way down. “Lost almost everything - weapons, supplies, ammo… I’m just glad we weren’t on it.” He shifted, using his free hand to reach down and into a pouch on his belt, and when he brought it back up, you saw something round and metal held between his fingers. “Not all gone, though. I k-” Both of the kid’s hands reached up, fingers grabbing for the object. _It’s the thing I saw in his memories, the thing he dreams about._ “Whoa, kid, it -” ****Ball!**** As soon as it was in his hands, Grogu turned toward you, holding it up proudly between his fingers. ****Mine!****

“He showed that to me a lot, Mando. In his thoughts, and even in his … in his dreams, too.” 

“You can … _see_ dreams?” He sounded curious and a little afraid, but he didn’t waste time, spinning away from you to settle Grogu down onto the third seat, and then facing you again. “Is that … are all Jedi -” 

“No.” You closed your eyes. “Again, like I said to you before, I’m _not_ a Jedi, but …” You lifted a hand and chewed on the tip of your thumb. “People use the Force differently, depending on …” _How do I explain this?_ “It’s like you.” You licked your lips, leaning slightly closer to him. “You’re good at tracking - it’s a skill that you’ve improved over time, right?” He nodded once. “You can _sense_ people, sense what they’ll do, and where they’ll be - how they’ll act, because you’ve been around different kinds of people enough to see the patterns.” Taking a breath, you glanced down at Grogu, who’d climbed from the seat back onto Mando’s lap, and then back up at the Mandalorian. “I know those things about other people after meeting them once, because I can focus in on what’s in their heads. I don’t need the patterns or the experience, I just need to concentrate. It’s nowhere near as useful as the Jedi and others that are one with the Force that can actually _see_ the future, because I can’t do that. I just see _now_ …or in the past, I guess. And it helps me to predict how people will act in the future, or to know how I should act around _them._ ” 

“Then how did you see _his_ dreams?” You bit your lip, thinking about how much to tell him, and decided to go with as much as you knew. _Why not?_

“The kid’s really smart, and really strong. He’s …” You reached out, taking one of Grogu’s outstretched hands between your thumb and forefinger. “He’s very powerful, and he’s still learning to control it, which means he’s _different_ than other people, other … beings.” ****I am?**** You nodded at him. _You are._ “So _his_ dreams are more like thoughts because there’s so much _power_ within him, and when he sleeps? He can’t control what he dreams.” You squeezed Grogu’s hand, then let it go. “I felt him. When he called to Master Skywalker? To Luke?” The Mandalorian barely moved, but you heard him take a quick breath. “Even from so far away, I felt him, and there was no _reason_ for it to be that way. So I think we’re … connected somehow, but no one knows … why.” The cockpit was silent, and even Grogu looked down, returning his attention to the metal sphere. “Most, um, most Force … users?” You shrugged. “They speak to each other with thoughts. It’s a way to communicate without giving anything away, and it’s helpful in combat or in negotiations.” At that, the Mandalorian nodded multiple times. _Of course he understands that._ “But usually, those abilities come with others, too. Strength. Agility. The ability to move things, like he did with you and the mudhorn.” 

“You know about that?” Your eyes moved to the Mandalorian’s shoulder, the signet on his pauldron gleaming in the low light and reminding you of their connection. “About how -”

“Yes.” Swallowing, you clasped your hands together. “He protected you for the first time that day. And it’s a good thing, because he …” Grogu had the ball near his mouth, paying no obvious attention to the two of you, even though you knew he was listening. “You needed each other.” 

“We did. We do.” You watched as he tweaked the end of one large, green ear, his visor turning back to face forward. “Can you do that? _Move_ things?” At his question, you froze. 

“No,” you whispered. “And I won’t try.” Grogu’s whine surprised you, the child struggling in the arms that held him, twisting toward you. ****Won’t hurt anyone.**** “I -”

“Hey.” The Mandalorian loosened his hold on Grogu and then held him out toward your lap, letting him go only once he’d made his way onto your legs. “I didn’t mean to -” 

“No, it’s fine.” You swallowed hard, letting out a shuddering breath. “You didn’t …” _He didn’t know about my sister. He didn’t know about my …_ “I did that _once_ , the first time I realized that I could … that something was …” You felt the tears rising in your eyes, Grogu pressing himself tightly against your body, cheek against your chest. “I ended up hurting someone, and so I … even at the Academy, I …” Raising your gaze to meet the visor, you didn’t bother trying to wipe your tears away. “That’s one of the reasons I ended my training. The fear that I couldn’t control it? It’s dangerous. Being too emotional is …” 

“I understand.” It went quiet again, and though you _thought_ that the Mandalorian was looking at you, you had no way of knowing for sure. ****Not dangerous.**** You looked down, seeing that Grogu was staring up at you, the ball in your lap and both of his hands gripping your shirt. ****Not to us.**** _Us? Do you mean you and me, kid, or ..._ Your eyes flicked to the man in the pilot’s chair and then back down. ****You’ll see.**** His belief in you slightly comforting, you finally reached up, swiping beneath both eyes. _Enough._

“So, Mando.” You tried to lighten the mood, settling back into your chair. “It looks like you don’t have to worry about me in your head or in your dreams. The kid and I have a connection, so that’s why I … plus, you’ve got that helmet on, so -”

“I sleep with it off.” The casual admission stunned you into silence, breath catching in your throat. “If it will make you more comfortable I -” 

“This is your ship.” You felt your heartbeat hammering behind your ribs. “You can sleep however you -” _Just the helmet, or all of the armor? I don’t know why I …_ You blinked furiously, glad he was looking away from you. “Don’t change your routine just for me, it isn’t -” 

“I won’t.” There was a finality to the statement, but it wasn’t unkind. “And you shouldn’t either.” With that, he leaned forward and began pressing buttons with one hand, reaching into his pouch with the other. _What does he mean? I don’t have a routine, I …_ He thumbed through the pucks, setting one onto the flat surface of the console and pushed a button, a pale blue glow reflecting off of the beskar he wore - and off of the glass in front of him. “We’ll start with most difficult one.” 

You didn’t know why he was announcing his plans - if it was for his benefit or yours, or even Grogu’s, but you didn’t say anything, just watching as he moved. _He do this before?_ ** **Yes.**** You smiled, finally feeling your heart rate dropping back to normal. _Good._

“It’s going to take a few days to get out to Ryloth, and then from there, we’ll head to…” You listened as the man spoke, but somehow knew that he didn’t want - or need - you to answer. _He’s just … he’s happy to have someone here to listen._ You looked down, watching Grogu as he continued to play with the ball, sitting on your lap and once again facing forward. _Well, two someones._

\--- 

In the days that followed, the three of you settled in to life on the ship, the Mandalorian calling it simply _Razor II._ Grogu still kept to a schedule as if he was at the Academy, the two of you taking time each day to continue practicing with his abilities, you keeping a log of what you did so that you had _something_ to report back in each check-in. 

Sometimes the Mandalorian watched, perched on a crate in the corner of the cargo hold, asking questions as you and Grogu worked together, getting involved himself when necessary. You had a sneaking suspicion that the kid got him involved on purpose a few times; forcing the items he was lifting and moving off in the man’s direction and faking fatigue instead of retrieving them himself, perking back up at the man’s _numerous_ praises.  
  
When they would begin that, you gracefully bowed out, giving them time together and retreating to your sleeping quarters, which were on the top level of the ship. The Mandalorian - _Mando,_ you reminded yourself each time - had explained that after finding the replacement ship, he’d made some adjustments to it and to the layout. _He made it more comfortable. More of a … a home._

On the first night, while Grogu slept in his carriage in the corner of the cockpit, the man showed you around, pointing out the fresher and telling you you could leave your personal things there if you wanted, showed you the weapons locker, a small, deep compartment that he’d said had been the sleeping quarters on the Razor Crest. It was filled nearly from top to bottom with a stockpile of weapons that you’d never even _imagined_ before; guns and ammo, rockets, spare fuel for his jetpack - there were even canisters of gas packed neatly into crates; the charge for his blaster and pulse rifle. 

The Mandalorian spent a great deal of time showing you the weapons and explaining how they worked, voice catching as he touched the stock of the longest gun in the space, explaining that of all the things he’d lost when Moff Gideon blew up his original ship, _that_ specific weapon had been the most difficult to replace, since it had been passed down from another Mandalorian, not simply bought. _If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was sentimental about it._ You couldn’t help the small smile as he talked about the _need_ for such an armory - his words **_**weapons are a part of my religion**_** echoing in your ears, even as he closed and locked the door. 

_His_ bunk was against the wall between the where the weapons locker and the fresher were, and where the carbonite system near the back of the ship was located; a tiny, narrow cot that could be folded up and out of the way when he wasn’t using it. _That would be better off for me. He’s way too big for it._ You’d wondered where Grogu would sleep, but before asking, your eyes fell on a large cubby just above the man’s pillow. It was essentially a blanket nest, and you knew the kid would love it, especially since it meant that when he opened his eyes, he’d see the man sleeping right in front of him. _Good. Perfect._

The last thing he’d shown you was where you’d be sleeping, and it was on the second level - a larger space just in front of the short hallway that led to both the escape pod and the ship’s reactor. The bed was small - larger and wider than the cot, but definitely not _huge_ , though it looked comfortable. That room was the _actual_ sleeping quarters, and you knew it, but before you could raise that point, Mando had cut you off, both arms crossed over his chest, one shoulder leaning against the doorway. 

_“I thought you’d want some privacy. I don’t usually have women on the ship with me, except Cara, and she’s … she’s used to sleeping in uncomfortable places, so it’s never bothered her.”_ Not wanting to offend him, you’d just thanked the man, setting your bag down on the mattress and looking around. _“It gets loud sometimes, especially during takeoff and landing, but I wouldn’t do either of those things if I knew you were sleeping here, unless it was an emergency.”_

He was considerate, despite his no-nonsense reputation and his penchant for silence, and as the days passed, you became comfortable with him. He’d called the bounty on Ryloth the most difficult, but it still took him less than a day after you landed to bring his prisoner back, the man roughly forcing a Twi’lek he’d caught in Nabat through the ship’s door and directly into the carbonite chamber without a word to either you or Grogu. 

Instead of taking a break, he immediately plotted a course for your next destination - Cadevine, and then to the next after that, a nondescript place called Kothlis. He’d collected three of the five bounties in just over a week and a half, sleeping in short shifts as you traveled between locations. 

You spent time with Grogu, wrote in your journal, and spoke to the Mandalorian whenever possible, but true to your word, you kept out of his way as much as you could. It wasn’t because you didn’t _want_ to talk to him; you just didn’t want to talk _too_ much. It wasn’t what you were used to - the isolation, the _quiet_ \- but you couldn’t complain, because it gave you plenty of time to think. 

Grogu spent his time sleeping near Mando as expected and you’d been right about _that_ too, the child not once attempting to sneak into your room, even though you could still sometimes hear his thoughts, catching flashes of his dreams. You were happy for him. He seemed more focused than he’d been at the Academy, but when it was the three of you in the same room - cargo hold or cockpit - you were constantly answering questions for Mando, acting as the mediator between him and Grogu. _That_ was when the man was more talkative, never hesitating to ask you to intervene and include yourself in the conversation.

They communicated fine without you - they had for the time they’d been together _before_ , but you being there changed things, giving them an easier method for speaking to each other, even though it tired you out after a while. On the way between the third and fourth bounties - a four day trip to Neimoidia - you waited until Grogu had fallen asleep before returning to the cockpit, where Mando was leaning back in his seat, arms crossed over his chest. _He’s sleeping. I -_ “I’m awake.” It surprised you, but you took the admission as an invitation, entering the room and taking a seat in the chair Grogu typically sat in, the one closer to the man. “I heard you coming up the ladder.” 

“The kid’s asleep.” You sighed, eyes on the window ahead of you. “He was a handful today.” 

“He was.” _I don’t know what I…_ “It’s hard, on the ship to -”

“Maybe after Neimoidia, Mando? We could stop for a day or so, and land somewhere. There’s so much I’m sure he wants to show you that he can’t do on the ship.” Your words were met with silence, but you continued. _That’s a good sign._ “I don’t know that sector well, but there must be a safe planet where landing won’t attract too much attention. We can stay near the ship, but … open space. Fresh air. Time for the two of you -” 

“Where will you be?” He turned his chair to face you, arms dropping and his hands resting on his thighs. “If Grogu and I are -” _I …_ “You’re not here to babysit him, you know. You’re here _with_ him, and …” 

“Bari … My fr…” You swallowed. “Someone at the Academy said that that’s what I’d be doing here, with him. Acting as a nurse droid, basically, but it’s never …” You looked up, lips pressed together. “I’ve never felt like that’s what I was doing with him. You know how he is - he _looks_ helpless, but he isn’t. He can get his own food if he’s not on the ship or stuck in a building, he can _protect_ himself when it matters most, and he’s smart.” You laughed. “Well, most of the time. I mean he’s -”

“When we were together before?” The Mandalorian shifted in his chair, his armor clinking softly as the edges of the plates on his thigh and chest met. “He’d help me around the ship sometimes. Tried to do some electrical work with him once, but it -”

“Mando!” You were laughing, one hand reaching up to cover your mouth. “He’s just a _kid_ , he can’t - “

“No, he couldn’t.” You heard him clear his throat. _Did he just tell me something … funny?_ “But you’re right. Grogu’s … capable. And after spending time with you and the Jedi, he seems …” Trailing off, the man cocked his head to the side. “ _More.”_ You understood without him going into detail. _He is. I’m glad you see it._

“We don’t know much about how he ages, because there are only two other confirmed … well, _sort of_ confirmed beings like him, and they’re both gone now, but the best we can tell…” You leaned in, using your hand to prop your chin up, elbow resting on the console next to your chair. “In some ways, he’s like a five or six year old child. But in others?” You shook your head. “He’s seen and done so much. _Survived_ so much, and he understands _way_ more than…” 

“Do you know more about what happened to him? Before?” 

“No.” Your answer was fast - almost _too_ fast, and you saw the way that the man stiffened. “No, and every time anyone tries to ...see? Or to ask? It… it isn’t …” You lowered your head. “He doesn’t even think about it. I think he’s blocked it out, because even when I tried to …” 

“They asked you?” He sounded surprised, the stiffness leaving his body. “To look -” _I didn’t think I’d have to tell this story so soon, but …_

“Yeah.” You rubbed at your lower lip with one finger. “Like I said, for some reason, he and I get along better than … they thought that I’d be…” You thought back to the day you’d tried to access the memories in Grogu’s head, the way he’d actively worked to keep you from seeing _anything_ , despite your persistence, the way it felt when your back hit the wall, limbs held in place with almost no effort on his part. “It was the only time he’s ever used his ability to … not _hurt_ anyone, because he wasn’t trying to …” 

“What did he do to you?” There was concern in the man’s voice, and you could _feel_ it too, his posture changing as he moved to the edge of his chair. “Grogu. Did he -”

“He kept me out.” You shrugged. “Knocked the wind out of me, but I can’t blame him. He’s kept it to himself for so many years, and it was so soon after he came to the Academy. He was still missing you, he was still upset, he was still …” You took a deep breath. “In any other kid, I’d call it a temper tantrum, but with him? He was telling us no, absolutely not, and so … I never pushed again. I don’t know if the other Masters have, but I …” 

“You care about him.” You nodded without pause, eyes focused on the t-shaped visor of the Mandalorian’s mask. “Even after -” _Of course._

“He’s a kid, Mando. He doesn’t realize how strong he is, and back then he had no idea who to trust… I still don’t think he does, sometimes, to be honest, so how can I blame him?” 

“I guess … You can’t.” Crossing your legs beneath you, you watched the stars for a few minutes. “Why haven’t you asked more about me?” _Here we go._ You had questions - hundreds of them - but didn’t know where to begin. “About the bounties, about my past, about my armor… or Mandalore?”

“Do you want me to?” Turning your head toward him, you narrowed your eyes. “I’ve heard you’re not … that you don’t talk much. Keeps things mysterious.” You tried to lighten the mood, but when he didn’t reply, you continued. “I guess… like I said on that first transmission, I’m at an unfair advantage, because there are things about you that I know that I’m sure a lot of people don’t, because of the kid.” 

“Like what?” He was curious, but didn’t pry. _Where to start?_ You flipped through the information you had, trying to pick out some of the more important things. _See, Terys? I knew this would happen._  
  
“Your profession requires you to be brutal most of the time, but you’re always gentle with Grogu, so I think you … _stars_ I can’t believe I’m going to say this to you.” Taking a deep breath, you locked your eyes on his visor again. “I think that’s one of the things you missed most when he was gone, getting to separate parts of your life like that.” He didn’t acknowledge your words, and you chose something much less pointed next. “I know that you believe in your creed, and would only even consider compromising it if it was absolutely worth it.” That got a small nod. “I know that you considered the Guild your clan at first, but didn’t hesitate to do what you needed to get Grogu to a Jedi once he … was yours.” 

“That’s not true.” There was regret in his tone, even the modulator couldn’t hide it. “At first, yes. But by the time I … when I realized I’d have to say goodbye? I questioned it. I didn’t want to -”

“Well he was your family by then. Your … _aliit.”_

“You know Mando’a?” The regret turned to surprise. “There aren’t -”

“I know a few words. We have historical texts at the Academy, I’ve read some of them, but I can’t … I can’t _speak_ it. I’m not fluent.” 

“Neither can I.” There was a pause and then you heard him _laugh_ , the sound short but infectious, and after a few seconds, you were laughing with him, the mood shifting. “I know more than _you_ , but it’s … not many people are know it well. On Mandalore, there are more that can speak it, but …” He went silent, taking a deep breath, and you watched his shoulders rise and fall. “What else do you know about me?” _Maybe this isn’t as disastrous as I thought it would be._

“I know how he sees you. I know what he feels about you. I know that your armor is a symbol of your success and your skill. I know that you didn’t _want_ what happened on that light cruiser, but you’ve accepted it.” Licking your lips, you continued. “I know that this past year has probably been really damn hard for you, because he’s not my kid, and even the _thought_ of having to say goodbye to him has kept me at the Academy for much longer than I would have stayed there otherwise.” 

It was the first time you’d admitted it out loud in such clarity, and you clapped a hand over your mouth in surprise. _I shouldn’t have said that._ “You stayed… for him?” 

“I did.” Your words quiet, you looked down at the console, focusing on the shifter in front of you. “Before he came? I was considering leaving, just because I wasn’t doing any _good_ there. I wasn’t training, I didn’t have a Master, I couldn’t advance … and then he called out, and I… it made me reconsider. And here I am, a year later, on _your_ ship with _that_ kid.” 

“Why don’t you call him by his name? After Ahsoka told me what it is, and I started using it...he changed. He seemed to like it.” Rubbing at your eyes, you swore under your breath. 

“Asking all of the big questions tonight, aren’t you?” You rubbed the back of your neck. “Everyone else at the Academy calls him by his name. But one of the first memories I saw… well… _heard_ was of you calling him “kid” and “pal” … and it just slipped out. I remember my sister had a nickname that she liked, too, and I thought that…” 

“And it stuck.” You nodded, still focused on the control panel. “So you called him that because of … _me_?” _I did._ “I… knowing his name made it harder to let him go.” You had a feeling that the conversation was the most talkative that the man had been in months - if not longer - but even though the topic was difficult, you weren’t in any hurry for it to end. 

“I slipped sometimes, and called him Grogu, and he… he didn’t like it much. I think he _wanted_ to be reminded of you, even though you weren’t there. And I’m not you. I never will be, but I like to think that I made it easier for him to …” You searched for the word. “Adjust.” 

“So what should I call him? Grogu? Kid? Pal?” He shifted in the chair, moving closer to you. “Can you ask him?” 

“I don’t think it matters, Mando.” You lifted your eyes and turned toward him, the chair creaking softly beneath you. Hesitantly, you reached out, your hand hovering over his knee, but at the last second, you lost your nerve, pulling it back and settling it in your lap. “You’re his father. You can call him anything, and he’ll be happy about it because you’re doing it in person.” _Why did you do that? You know he doesn’t like to be touched without permission, you shouldn’t have even …_ The cockpit was silent, and then the Mandalorian abruptly stood, causing you to take a surprised breath and straighten up in your chair. _Oh, damn. I made him -_

But before your thoughts ran away, you felt his hand settle in against your shoulder, his gloved fingers curling slightly. “What does he call me?” The weight of his hand on your shoulder was a shock, but you were determined to not let him know how much it affected you - or the way it made the way he was feeling _that_ much easier to read. _Just because I wasn’t expecting it, nothing else._ “The kid, wh-”

“His father.” You saw his fingers flex out of the corner of your eye; the yellow material at the tips curling inward against the dark material of your shirt as his surprise and curiosity changed to anxiety. “Sometimes it’s Mando, but not … not often.” _Why lie?_ “That’s how I… what I call you to him, too. His dad.” He squeezed your shoulder once more, fingers lingering and then the weight was gone, the cockpit doors opening. _Oh, Maker._ Frozen in your seat, you waited until they slid shut again to lean forward, resting your head on your forearms and taking deep breaths. _I didn’t touch him, but he … it was just … what does that mean?_

You took a few minutes to collect your thoughts and then stood, too. _I should sleep. It’s late, and I don’t think he’ll come back unless…_ You exited the cockpit and paused at the top of the ladder, glancing down into the darkness. You couldn’t see, but heard the sound of water running in the fresher, your fingers gripping the metal railing tightly. _Don’t._

But it was too late, your mind already focused on the cargo hold - and the only conscious mind present. Things were still mostly undefined, emotion the strongest takeaway, but just as you opened your eyes again, determined to go into the bedroom and get to sleep immediately, you caught one clear thought - your name. 

\--- 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for coming back and reading! I hope you enjoy this one. It’s a lot more setup, but there are a couple very important conversations in here.


	6. Show Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your journey through the stars continues, but true to his word, the Mandalorian parks the ship and gives Grogu - and you - a chance to put your abilities on display. What was supposed to be a pleasant day “off” turns into much more very quickly.

You arrived and left Neimoidia one bounty slab heavier, Mando plotting a course for a planet only a few hours away called Cambria. “We can stay here for two days,” he told both of you, hands on his hips as he paced in the cargo hold. “And then we need to get the last bounty and get back to Nevarro, Karga’s got -” ****Tell him!**** Grogu was looking up at you from his place on the floor, one hand on your leg. 

“Mando.” You pressed your lips together, bending down and picking the kid up, his body settling against the crook of your arm. “He wants me to -”

“He wants you to what?” Stopping the pacing, the Mandalorian stood in front of you. “What’s going on?” 

“He wants me to tell you that he’s excited to show you what he can do.” ****Strong.**** “He says he’s strong now, and he wants you to see.” There was a short laugh from beneath the beskar, and your lips twitched at the sound. ****See you too.**** “He … wants you to see what I can do, too.” 

“W- what _you_ can do?” You nodded, watching as the Mandalorian’s helmet tipped downward and then back up toward you. “What do you -” _Grogu, I don’t know if its… I’m not supposed to…_ ** **Safe. Planet safe.**** “You said you don’t -” Your hold on the kid tightened, and you closed your eyes, letting out a deep breath. 

“I’ve got a lightsaber, Mando. And I trained. I know how to use it, and he…” You rubbed at your forehead with your free hand. _Oh, kid, I’m going to embarrass myself._ “He wants me to show you.” ****Practice together.**** _You and me? Yeah, kid. We can._

“You have a …” You watched as his head tilted to one side. “I didn’t think that -” He took a step closer. “Does Gro-”

“No. Not yet. He’s practiced, but not with anything that could _hurt_ anyone.” You felt Grogu’s fingers tighten against your arm. “And you’re right, usually it’s only Padawans that rise in the ranks that get to have their own, but this was a special circumstance, and …” You shrugged. “They wanted me to have it to protect him just in case it came down to it.” 

“They thought I wouldn’t be enough?” You heard the confusion in his voice, and without thinking, you moved forward, reaching out to lay your hand on his arm, fingers finding the beskar-free material that covered the inside of his right bicep. _Oh, shit._ But it was too late, and you continued speaking instead of pulling away.

“ _No,_ of course not. But Mando, you don’t… Grogu’s special, you know that, and they’d want him to be …” You glanced down, seeing that Grogu had reached for the man, too, his fingers curled around the Mandalorian’s left thumb. _We’re standing so close, I didn’t realize it._ “I’m just a last resort, Mando.” Your words quiet, you looked up slightly, his visor less than a foot from you. _Why is this … why does it…_ You realized in a split second that it was the first time the three of you had touched; Grogu in your arms, him holding Mando’s thumb while you touched his arm, Mando’s gloved fingers curled gently around your bare elbow. _Wait, what? When did he start touching me?_ Blinking, you willed yourself not to react, but knew it was too late - Grogu had likely heard your thought, and even through the visor, the Mandalorian had probably seen the look in your eyes. _Damn._ “It … um… we…” You stepped back, swallowing hard. It took a second, but his hand dropped away from your arm and back to his side. “I’m a second line of defense, just in case. You’ll see.” 

“See… what?” _Don’t make me explain this. Don’t make me…_ “If you have the weapon, you must know how to -”

“Oh, I know how to use it.” You laughed at that, shifting Grogu’s weight to your other arm, the kid squirming the whole time. “But use it _well?_ ” You rolled your eyes, turning away from him. “I’ll let you two be the judge of that.” 

\--- 

The following morning on Cambria, the three of you were in the middle of a wide open, grassy area - a small clearing just to the right of the ship. Largely unpopulated, the planet _felt_ safe to you, and though you still weren’t getting anything _near_ what you felt of the Force at the Academy, it was more present than it had been on Nevarro, and you knew that Grogu felt it, too. _Good place, kid?_ He nodded at you, the early morning sunlight just beginning to warm the air. _Thought so._

You’d eaten on the ship, but wanted to give Grogu some time to run off excess energy, chasing some of the smaller creatures you suspected lived in the grass and low shrubs. “It’s safe here.” Mando spoke, standing a few feet behind you. “No one within a few hours, the villages are smaller, too. We’re on our own.” 

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Turning to face him, you gestured with one hand. “He’ll run around. Catch some … _snacks_ , get some fresh air. You two can spend time together, he can show you everything he can do.” 

“Does he … still get tired after he uses his powers?” You laughed, turning back toward the sun, tilting your face up toward the sky and enjoying the warmth on your skin. “Before, he -” 

“Yes and no. It takes a lot more now to wear him out than it did before. Moving large objects? He’d be tired, and probably take a long nap, but unless he had to … I don’t know, move both of us or a boulder or something, hold it in place, it wouldn’t _exhaust_ him.” 

“What about you?” He moved closer, and you could almost feel him standing behind you, his presence solid. “Does it make you -”

“I don’t use it the same way as he does. When I get tired, it’s because I’m using my body, like exercise. He… it’s _mental_ exhaustion as well physical with him.” _That sounds so stupid, why did you …_ “In a large room? Reading multiple people at once? Trying to keep track of what people are saying or thinking? _That_ wears me down, but not like it …” You chewed on your lip, looking up and over your shoulder. “The day he used his ability on me? When he pinned me against the wall? He lifted me off the ground, too, held me there for a while. And he slept for two days straight after, because it _drained_ him.” It was because he was still recovering from whatever had happened to him before Luke rescued him, and you knew it, but it was still worth telling the man. _He needs to know how far Grogu’s come._

“No one tried to help you?” He shifted behind you, crossing his arms over his broad chest, the metal at his forearms sliding against the breastplate and then said your name. “They knew how strong he might be, _saw_ it, and -” you turned to face him, arms protectively against your belly. 

“Stars, Mando, he’s just a kid, and it was _traumatic_ for him. He got kidnapped and then just when you found him again, he had to _leave_ you, and then there I am, trying to -” But Mando’s hand shot out, gloved fingers again encircling the bare skin of your arm just above your elbow. “Wh -”

“That’s no excuse. He can’t _do_ that to people, especially not people that are just trying to … _help_ him. I didn’t… I tried to… after Cara Dune…”

“He was scared, Mando.” Your heart was pounding, and you could feel that he was angry - but you didn’t think it was at you, or even Grogu. _He’s mad at the Jedi, that they…_ “He apologized the next time he saw me, even though we barely knew each other then, and I couldn’t hold it against him. He’s never … he’s never done that to anyone else that I know of, and …” Your words trailed off as you realized that the man’s grip on you had loosened, his hand moving up and toward your shoulder. _What is …_ “Mando, what …” 

“That’s unacceptable.” The word caught. “That’s not how he … not what I taught him.” You felt your chest tighten at the admission, realizing that he wasn’t upset at the Jedi - instead, he was mad at the child’s behavior more than anything else - and the way it made him look. _Oh, Mando. It’s not …_ Feeling bold, you raised the hand at your side and touched his chestplate, hand resting there for a few seconds before it moved over, one fingertip tapping against the signet on his shoulder. _You’re touching me, so I guess that’s…_

“He knows. He was sorry. It was a year ago. Don’t hold it against him. You’re not running anymore. You have time to tell him and show him all of the…” _What are you saying? This isn’t going to last. This is just a few weeks, and then you’ll be back on Mandalore, and everything will change._ “... all of the things you want him to know.” Closing your eyes briefly, you glanced up at the sky and then back where you _thought_ his face would be. “I’m _fine,_ Mando. Believe me, I wouldn’t have volunteered to fly halfway across the galaxy with him if - “

“Do you think he’s dangerous?” The question caught you off guard, but you didn’t hesitate with your answer.   
  
“I think he could be, if he doesn’t … if he doesn’t learn how to use his ability. To control it.” You touched his shoulder once more, lowering your chin toward your chest. “He’s strong, Mando. You’ll see. But I think …” You looked back up, and it wasn’t the first time that you wished that you could look directly into his eyes as you spoke. _But he’ll be looking at me, he’ll see that I’m being honest._ “I think the way he feels about you is stronger.” Before the man could respond, you heard a loud shriek, both of you breaking for the grass that Grogu had disappeared into. A few seconds later, you saw it part, the child reappearing with something blue and green that had a tail clutched between his fingers. _Of course he found something to eat._

He held it up toward both of you, eyes widening and his ears lowered, and you laughed, covering your eyes with one hand, even as Mando spoke. _Yuck._ “You got something _else_ to eat? Way to go, kid. Good job.” You knew that the Mandalorian wouldn’t forget the conversation you’d just had, but you hoped that he’d be able to push it to the side for the time being - to keep it from Grogu, just in case. _Eat up, kid. We gotta practice._ ** **I know.****

Turning away from the two of them, you walked back up the ramp and into the cargo bay, pausing at the base of the ladder. _He’s distracted. It’s…_ You climbed slowly, thinking, and instead of just ducking into your sleeping quarters to grab your belt and hilt, you lowered yourself onto the bed, putting your face in both hands and letting your shoulders slump. _This isn’t anything. Every time you’ve had_ ** _ **any**_** _contact, it’s been because of Grogu. Not because of anything else._

You looked up, eyes focused on the rivets just above your head, and you swore out loud. “You’re here for a reason, and it isn’t to get closer to him. It’s been two weeks. That’s nothing. _This_ is nothing. He’s just overwhelmed because the kid’s back, it has nothing to do with you. _Nothing.”_ But you couldn’t erase the way it had felt to be close to the man from your mind, or forget the way his grip on your arm tightened and moved - in the cockpit and the cargo hold, and again outside. _He’s a King,_ you reminded yourself. _We don’t know each other._

“Hey.” You straightened up, eyes on the still open door as you heard your name from below. “You coming back down? Kid’s getting restless.” _Yeah, I’m coming, I …_ Taking a deep breath to steady yourself, you reached over and into your bag, fingers closing around the cylindrical hilt of your lightsaber. _I’ll go and make a fool of myself in front of him with this kriffing thing, and then it_ ** _ **really**_** _won’t matter what I feel._

_\---_

But an hour later, you realized that no matter what you did when you finally turned your lightsaber on for the first time, it would pale in comparison to anything that Grogu had done in front of the Mandalorian. _He’s so proud of him._

You’d started out small - using the round metallic sphere and gradually increasing the distance between you, having the kid take it from you and Mando before sending it back, intercepting it between you and the man as you tossed it back and forth.You’d even gone into the grass a few times, hiding it and letting Grogu find it. _This is nothing, it’s too simple for him._ From there, you’d asked him to collect a small pile of rocks for you, floating them in from various places around the clearing and piling them between your feet. “Come take a couple of these, Mando.” You’d looked up at him as you bent over, collecting the stones between your fingers and putting them into the pouch at your belt. “Gotta come from two directions at once every now and then.” He’d done as you asked, taking some of the stones in his gloved hands, though he hadn’t asked questions. _You ready, kid?”_ ** **Yeah.**** “Alright, so to really begin to protect himself, he’s gotta learn to use -” 

As you spoke, you looked away from Grogu and at Mando, even though the man was watching the kid intently instead of you. You began throwing the rocks without warning, one after the other, and even as you heard the man yell for you to stop, you continued, watching out of the corner of one eye. Grogu didn’t miss deflecting a single one, scattering them with a simple flick of one hand, eyes narrowed. “Maker! Why’d you -” But the Mandalorian stopped as you ran out of stones, looking down at the ones he held. “I’m not going to -” 

“He’ll be fine, Mando. We use heavier things at the Academy. This is nothing to him.” ****Do it.**** You smiled at Grogu and then sighed. “You can throw harder than me, too. Make it count.” The man hesitated and then before you could blink, had launched the stones in Grogu’s direction. He _did_ throw hard, but there wasn’t an issue; the kid not scattering them as he had the others; instead, pausing them in midair and then flinging them back in your direction. _Not fair!_ Your saber was still attached to your belt, but before you could grab it, the Mandalorian stepped in front of you, shielding you with his beskar-covered body. 

You heard the rocks clink against him and then fall to the ground, the sound of Grogu’s laughter filling your ears. ****Yes it was.**** You laughed too, peeking around the Mandalorian at the kid, who was watching you with wide eyes. ****See? Protect you.**** Your own eyes widening, you glanced up and over and then stepped in front of Mando, determined not to think too hard about what Grogu’s thought implied. _Nothing, because he’s a kid._ “Grogu!” The man’s tone was slightly harsh but then it softened as he followed you, dropping to one knee in front of the tiny green figure, the pointer finger of one hand extended. “ _Not_ nice, she… we -” ****Playing.****

“He was playing, Mando.” You touched the shoulder next to your right hip, gesturing with your other hand at Grogu. “If he wanted them to _hurt,_ he would have thrown them back. He just kind of tossed those.” Grogu reached for the man, and with a loud sigh, was scooped up into Mando’s arms, mouth open. “Need a break, kid? We can rest for a few minutes before I start.” ****OK.**** “Give him a couple minutes, and then I’ll …” You swallowed, eyes moving down to your waist. “I’ll show you what else he can do.” _And what I can do, I guess._

The three of you retreated to the shade offered by the ship’s ramp, settling down into the grass with Grogu on Mando’s lap. “He’s not … before, he would have been sound asleep by now. When he stopped the mudhorn, he slept for _days_ after, and then when he healed Karga, it was the same.” _That was a long time ago._

“The mudhorn was probably the first time he used the Force like that in years. It’s really draining for kids. And he still gets tired. When … when we’re done out here, he’ll probably sleep through the night, even though it’s barely afternoon.” You looked at Grogu, the child watching you quietly. “Just since it’s been a little while since he’s worked this hard, and …” 

“But he’ll be awake tomorrow? You will? For more -” 

“Yep.” You reached forward, plucking a long blade of grass and twisting it between your fingers. “Like I said the other night, it mentally drains me when I concentrate too hard, but what I’m going to show you today is more physical.” _Even though it shouldn’t be. A real Jedi would …_

“You’ve gotten so much stronger, pal.” The Mandalorian looked down, rubbing his hand over the top of Grogu’s head. “It’s good to know that you … that you know what you can do now.” ****More. Can do more.**** _I know, and he’ll see that._ “Did you teach him, at the -”

“No.” You pressed your lips together, letting the breeze carry the grass from your hand. “I’m not … _qualified_ to teach, I just … they partnered us together a lot. Grogu’s…” You reached forward again, tapping his nose with the end of one finger and winking at him. “He’s a little stubborn, but he listened to me, so they had me ask him things, or tell him to do things when he wouldn’t for anyone else.” You both went quiet, the sounds of the rustling grass and far-off trees the only things you could hear. _Why can’t I hear him breathing through the modulator? You’d think that I…_

The Mandalorian was calm, and so was Grogu, the day easily the most relaxing that you’d had in recent memory, and you wondered if the man felt the same - if the time on the planet’s surface was a necessary break for him, or if he felt like it was a waste. _Not a waste, because they’re here together._ You watched the clouds for a few minutes, distracted only when you felt a tug on the material of your pant leg. ****Now.**** “Guess he’s ready to keep going.” You heard amusement in the man’s voice, your lips curving upward into a smile as you nodded. _Alright, little one. But don’t hold back._

Standing, you dusted off the backs of your legs and walked to the center of the clearing, closing your eyes and turning so that the _Razor II_ was to your right. _He can’t expect me to … I’ve told him how many times I’m not a Jedi._ Grogu was standing about twenty feet in front of you, facing you head on. “Ok, kid.” You whispered the words, nodding once. _Don’t start too big._ Removing the hilt from your belt, your fingers circled around it, thumb stroking over the switch once. _Just some practice and then …_

But before you finished the thought, you heard something rushing at you from the left, and out of habit, you spun in that direction, your finger sliding up and igniting the blade. Even as you focused on lifting it to slice through the small branch that the kid had brought toward you, you _felt_ the Mandalorian’s surprise, and it made you smile. _Maybe we’ll both impress him today._

Grogu was slower than the Masters had been - _definitely_ slower than Luke had been when it came to pulling objects in for you to defend against, but he did well - supplementing the branches with small logs, rocks, even uprooted bushes themselves. 

You tried to control your breathing, staying focused on _feeling_ each item before moving toward it, the bright blade spinning and twisting in your hand - and then _both_ hands, as he lifted an unusually large piece of wood from the far off treeline and threw it at you. With a grunt, you sliced through it, feet planted on the ground and then let the blade go out, chest heaving as you caught your breath. _That wasn’t so bad. Thanks, kid._ Grogu sat on the ground, ears pushed back, and you could see that he was tired - but not entirely _exhausted_. _Good job._ ** **Fun.**** _Yeah, I guess it was._

Keeping the hilt in your hand, you looked over at where the Mandalorian had been sitting, seeing that he’d gotten to his feet, arms hanging loosely at his sides. “That’s… impressive.” _Is it?_ You scooped Grogu up as you passed him, watching as Mando pushed a few buttons on his vambrance, the carriage floating out of the open ramp a few seconds later. _Good call._ “You’re powerful, too.” Whining slightly, the kid reached for the man, letting Mando take him from your arms and settle him in with his blankets, although Grogu stayed upright. “I’m nowhere near that skilled with the Darksaber.” 

You knew he had it - had heard Luke and the other Masters, as well as random strangers talk about it - knew that _this_ Mandalorian was in possession of the Darksaber, the blade that was meant to unite his people and restore order to his planet; the blade that could only be used and wielded by the Mand’alor after winning it in combat. “You’re not? That’s ok, it takes time. You have to -” 

“It’s … the Mandalorians aren’t … we don’t _use_ lightsabers.” You also knew that, but hearing him say it freely was a shock. “Before you, I’d really only seen three people use them. Ahsoka, Moff Gideon and Skywalker, and then I … then I _owned_ one, and …” He shrugged his shoulders, and it was the most casual thing you’d seen him do in two weeks. “I’ve tried to teach myself how to use it, and another Mandalorian, Bo-Katan? She’s helped some, but …” He trailed off. “You said you stopped training when you dropped out, but that doesn’t look -”

“I built this the week before we left for Nevarro.” You looked down, reading the etchings and turning it over in your hand. “Before this? I’d only used a practice saber, one that couldn’t hurt anyone or anything.” You glanced at Grogu, the kid leaning forward over the front edge of the carriage, watching the two of you talk. “Like the ones that the Padawans use before they’re ready for the real thing?” He didn’t move, staying quiet. “And once it was built, I got a crash course for a few days from Master Skywalker, and … here I am.” 

“You look comfortable with it.” He lifted a hand, pointing with one long, gloved finger. “Can I -” You handed it over without question, watching as the man raised it in front of the visor, the pointer finger of his opposite hand reaching up to press a button on the side of his helmet. _I wonder what he’s…_ “You built this?” Nodding, even though you couldn’t be sure he was looking at you, you let out a breath. 

“It’s like a … Jedi rite of passage. I guess in the old days, there’d be a trip taken to a planet called Ilum to find the crystal necessary for the power, and all Jedi Padawans have to go through Trials before they’re considered worthy.” It felt …. not _disloyal_ to talk about it to him, but still strange, because you’d never been the one to tell the story before. “And then, sometimes it took _days_ to build lightsabers, especially when materials weren’t available. I got lucky, because since things have changed, and there aren’t many Jedi left, everything was in one place. I didn’t have to scavenge or buy anything, it was all right there.” You reached forward, touching your finger to the etchings you’d done. “Those are the coordinates for my home planet. These are my mother and sister’s birthdays, and this is …” You swallowed hard, fingertip resting on the final inscription. “This is the day that I arrived at the Academy, when I found out that there were _actually_ other people like me, and I didn’t have to…” _Worry about hurting or scaring anyone._

You’d never told that much about yourself to anyone else, but telling the Mandalorian seemed right, especially because of the reason you’d met him in the first place. “Pure beskar is … it can’t be destroyed, not even with this.” He held up the hilt, moving it back and forth in front of your face. “I’d like you to teach me how to use a lightsaber.” _What?_ ** **What?**** Your eyes went to Grogu, who was suddenly wide awake, his big, dark eyes moving between you and the man. “I’d be happier with my blaster, or my rifle. _Haran_ , even the spear is …” The Mandalorian let out another breath. “But I need to learn, and there’s no one better to teach me than someone that actually _uses one._ Will you show me?” 

“I… If you want, Mando. Just tell me when.” _What does pure beskar have to do with it?_ You reached for the lightsaber, your fingers closing around the end that he wasn’t holding. “I’m sure you know it, but you can use these -” You tugged it from his hand, raising it. “To deflect blaster fire.” 

“I’m not shooting at you.” You heard it in his tone - the slight edge to it, as if you _mentioning_ the idea was absurd. “You have... no armor, nothing except _that_ to protect you. If I miss, or if you’re a little slow, you’ll…” He shook his head back and forth. “You’re _good_ , but I won’t risk that.” _You will._ You grinned, rolling your eyes. _Not now, but I’ll get you to shoot at me, just so you can see. It’ll be fine. Right, kid?_ Grogu laughed, the Mandalorian looking over at him quickly and then back at you. “What’s so funny?” 

“Nothing.” But you couldn’t keep a straight face, instead lowering your chin to your chest and laughing out loud. “Nothing, Mando.” 

\--- 

You spent the rest of the day outside, even after the Mandalorian took Grogu back into the ship, the carriage floating up the ramp beside him and into the darkness. It wasn’t that you wanted to stay away from them, but it had been so long since you’d been on your own - no schedule, nothing to _do,_ the air fresh and warm - that you wanted to make the most of it and enjoy the day for as long as possible. 

You didn’t go far, making your way through the grass toward the trees, the palm of one hand brushing over the tops of the greenery. _He can see me from the cockpit if he’s looking._ You realized that fact as you turned back toward the ship, squinting against the sunlight. _That’s probably where he is, and he can see me since he’s higher up._ It comforted you, even though you didn’t _need_ to be watched, and you decided to venture further, cutting off to the left but never losing sight of the ship - or going out of earshot. _I wonder if he has an extra communicator._

There was a second clearing and you chose to stop there, settling down into the grass. After a while, you decided to lay back, one arm folded beneath your head as you stared up at the slowly darkening sky. You had a lot to tell Luke in your first transmission back to the Academy and the Jedi, but the most important thing was that Grogu was happy - he was listening to you and the Mandalorian, and he wasn’t neglecting his training, nor were you. _I’m not really training, but I still need to focus._

It was a gift that you’d been given - the ability to choose a kyber crystal and create your own lightsaber, and though you didn’t _technically_ owe anyone anything for it, you wanted to do right by the Jedi. 

_They took me in and trained me. They helped me. They -_ “Brought you something to eat.” Gasping at the sudden intrusion, your hand went to your waist, fingers closing around your lightsaber again and igniting it as you sprung to your feet. “ _Hey_ , it’s just me.” 

“Mando!?” You hissed the word out, the glow of your light reflecting off of his chestplate for a few seconds before you removed your finger from the switch and it went dark. “ _Maker_ , you scared me, I -” 

“I didn’t mean to.” He held up his hand, a small bag in it. “But you’ve been out here for hours, and I didn’t know when you’d come back. You haven’t eaten since breakfast.” _You noticed?_ He stepped closer. “And you worked with the kid, and then …” 

“Thank you.” You hadn’t realized how hungry you were, reaching for the bag and pulling it from Mando’s fingers before lowering yourself back down and onto the ground. “It just … It smells so good here, and the sun felt…” 

“It is nice here.” He sat next to you, drawing his knees up and resting his forearms on them. “The air is clean. On … on Mandalore, it isn’t. The large cities are … there’s nothing green, it’s all buildings and transport ships and …” He sighed. “Sometimes I think I’m fighting for something that’s better left alone.” _Why are you telling me this?_ “That’s another reason that I wanted to come back out here and …” 

“How long have you been a bounty hunter?” You opened the bag, reaching into it for a piece of bread. “You’re probably so used to it that staying in one place for -”

“Decades. As soon as I was old enough, I set out, and haven’t looked back. You’re right. A few days here, one or two weeks there … I don’t _stay_ anywhere, except before when I was with the Covert, but now … now I have to.” Chewing, you waited for him to continue, but when he didn’t, you decided to fill the silence.

“I’m not… I don’t mean to be rude, but… how can a - how can _the_ Mand’alor just _leave_ for weeks at a time? Don’t the people -” He laughed at that, and even modulated, you relished the sound.   
  
“It’s not that simple. By _tradition_ , I’m … their king, the ruler of the planet. And for most, that’s enough. They believe in me, they’re ready to follow me, they know what I did to get the Darksaber back. But for others? I still have to prove everything.” He lowered his helmet toward his chest, the metal pieces clinking together softly. “I didn’t want this. I _don’t_ want this, but I … _this is The Way._ It’s my duty to -” He was flustered; you could feel how anxious he was as each word came out. 

“Mando.” You spoke quietly, opening the canteen and taking a long drink. “You don’t need to explain yourself to me.” 

“I just wanted the kid back. I wanted it to go back to how it was. Rescue him from that light cruiser, find a new ship, get back to doing _this_. I didn’t want to be responsible for an entire kriffing planet and all of those people.” _Not_ ** _ **my**_** _people,_ ** _ **those**_** _people._ A man of few words, you knew that what the Mandalorian said carried weight, even if it didn’t seem like it. 

“You’ve got him back now, Mando.” You ripped off a piece of the fruit leather, chewing with your eyes narrowed in thought. “He seems happy here, with you. He seems … settled. And I -” 

“But it’s only for a few months.” The man turned his head toward you. “A few months and then I have to say goodbye again, and the two of you will get back on a _different_ ship, and go back to a planet that I can’t know the location of.” He slapped his knee, swearing under his breath. “That’s why I didn’t want him to come back now, because it … Because I can’t …” _Because you can’t what?_ “We could run. The _Razor II_ is faster than the Crest, it’s … it can’t be tracked, because it’s so old. We could hide, the kid and I, find some planet and -” 

“You won’t.” It was nearly dark, the sky sparkling with what looked like millions of stars, the last glow of the sun _just_ illuminating the horizon. “That’s not who you are. And you … you love him, so you won’t keep him from his destiny, whatever that might be.” You took another drink, letting your shoulders slump. “Mas… Luke and the other Jedi would never force him to do anything, you have to know that. He’s powerful. Grogu might just … _stars_ , Mando, he might be more powerful than all of them combined, but we won’t know. Not in this lifetime. We’ll all be long gone, and he’ll barely be a teenager.” 

“A year is nothing to him, but it’s felt like …” You heard the pain in his voice, modulator doing nothing to hide it. “Planning and fighting and learning and flying around this damn galaxy for a year _alone_? After finding _him?_ After _losing_ him?” He reached for you, wrapping his gloved fingers around your wrist and squeezing. “Can you _feel_ this?” 

You let out a gasp, closing your eyes and feeling tears begin to leak from them, running down your cheeks. Instead of just hearing it in his voice, you _felt_ his pain, felt the loneliness that the man carried with him each day behind the beskar, but kept covered with bravado. You couldn’t stop your tears, and he didn’t speak again, even when you lifted your other hand, gripping his forearm to steady yourself. 

“He’s lucky to have you.” You choked the words out, fighting for breath. “Lucky to have someone that… that _cares_ so much, that _wants_ him so… Mando, please, I can’t…” You pushed him away, nearly ripping your arm out of his grip. _I’ve never felt anything like that, how is it so strong, why now, why -_

“I’m sorry.” His tone even, the man spoke again. “I’ve been keeping that … with me. And seeing him today? Watching the two of you together? Seeing what you’re both _capable_ of? I couldn’t…” Breaths heavy, you turned your body to look at him, knees drawn up to your chest and your arms wrapped around them. “I didn’t mean to -” 

“Do you feel better?” You sniffled, wetting your lower lip with your tongue. “Letting me feel that after keeping all of it in? It’s too much for anyone, Mando. You -”

“Yes.” He sounded surprised. “I feel much better.” 

“Good.” You whispered the word, closing your eyes. “ _Good.” Why did you let me ...why did you tell me this?_

“I see you with him. See the way you _are_ with him. I thought … thought you might understand. That you might...” You raised your head slowly, eyes wide. _I said that out loud?_ “I shouldn’t have, I -” He pushed to his feet and you followed, reaching out for the man before you could stop yourself, one hand on each arm. 

“Don’t apologize. Don’t do it. He’s your _family_. How many times do…” It was your turn to swear. “I know you can’t show that to other people, that you can’t … _be_ like that with other people, but _stars,_ Mando, he’s your kriffing kid. You’re allowed to love him.” You doubted that anyone else was as honest with him, or as willing to speak to him the way that you were, especially after only knowing him for a short time. _I should let go. I …_

But as you went to back away, you felt one of the man’s hands against your lower back, the other resting against your hip. _What is …_

The sadness was still there - duller, but still present, and it was accented with something that took you a few seconds to identify: confusion. He said your name quietly and you looked up at him, halting your attempt to back away. “I don’t -” _I don’t either._ You had no idea what he was going to say, but it didn’t matter - you would have agreed with anything in that moment. 

His head was tilted down, and even in the gathering darkness, you could make out the visor between the edges of the metal on his helmet. _He’s looking at me, he’s watching me, he…_ But you had no words, just staring up at the man in the starlight for long moments, the planet silent around you. _You have to say something, you have to…_ The fingers against your back flexed, pulling you closer and you tightened your hold on his arms. _This is because of Grogu again. He’s off because of what he feels for … he’d regret …_ But you didn’t know _what_ the man would regret, because you didn’t know what could possibly happen between the two of you in the middle of an open field on a deserted planet. _This is… it makes no…_  
  
You’d known the man for only a few weeks, and aside from relevant information, your conversations had been mostly about the kid. He was covered in armor head to toe each time you saw him, and you had no idea what his face looked like - or what his voice _sounded_ like without the helmet, aside from the conversation you’d had in the Comm Bay. 

_But it doesn’t matter._ You blinked, unwilling to look away, focused on the way that the Mandalorian’s thumb was pressed against the front of your hip. _It doesn’t matter because -_ “We should head back to the ship before it gets too late.” He cleared his throat, finally releasing you with a small twinge of what felt like regret. _Strange._

As his hands left your body, you took a deep breath, closing your eyes and savoring the night air. _I wonder if he can smell it, I wonder what …_ “Yeah, Mando. You’re right, Grogu’s probably wondering where we’re at.” But you trailed off, knowing that he wasn’t wondering _anything_ \- that the kid was sound asleep in his cradle. Bending over to pick up the bag, you slipped the strap over your shoulder, falling into step next to the man. 

It took nearly twenty minutes for you to walk back, and in that time, the Mandalorian kept his distance - and neither of you spoke. 

\--- 

But the following morning, you woke up to the sound of rain pounding down on the hull of the ship, thunder rumbling off in the distance. “We’re leaving.” The man’s words were firm, and even though Grogu’s ears lowered, eyes moving down toward the floor, he didn’t try to argue. “I’m protected from the rain, but you two aren’t. We can find another planet on another day.” _Of course he’s worried about Grogu, but he said …_

You’d lain awake for long hours the previous night after using the fresher, saying goodnight to the Mandalorian before climbing the ladder and closing the door of your sleeping quarters. Yes, you were tired from communicating with Grogu all day, as well as from using your ability - and your blade - extensively, but it didn’t help you sleep. There’d been a moment between you and Mando, you were almost _certain_ of it, even though there’d been no reason for it to be the case. 

He’d touched you without pause, _held_ you in place, been impressed with the way you handled yourself throughout the day, and because of what you knew via Grogu, you knew that praise from the man wasn’t to be taken lightly. _He says what he means, and only that._ As your eyes adjusted to the darkness, you replayed the conversations with him over the previous two weeks, trying to figure out when - and why - things had shifted, but there was nothing concrete. _Like his thoughts. Nothing at all, except …_

Except that you hadn’t shown fear of him - hadn’t let on to the fact that he did intimidate you, _especially_ when you were side by side in the cockpit, both of you quiet. You’d never really seen him in action, but his mere presence was enough to give you a hint at his strength and skill - at his approach to both of his lives: the one he’d _chosen_ for himself, and the one that he’d been thrust into. But you treated him as you would have treated the most powerful Jedi at the Academy - with respect and distance - and you _knew_ that he appreciated it. _Is that enough, though? Enough to make him see me as more than another body on the ship?_

Thinking about it had finally put you to sleep, and when you’d opened your eyes to the sound of the rain, it had come right back, sticking with you even after changing clothes and climbing down into the cargo hold. _It’s fine, kid. We can keep going on the ship while he’s flying._ ** **No. Outside.**** “Mando.” He paused as he climbed the ladder toward the cockpit, looking down at you. “Your kid doesn’t want to practice inside, he says we have to -” 

“I said _no,_ kid. Not today. If it was just rain, maybe. But not in a storm.” He gestured toward the two of you, still standing on the floor of the ship. “Use what you have here. We’ll find another planet.” Grogu whined at that, but you felt his agreement, the kid toddling off toward Mando’s cot. “Do you want to bring him up, or -” _You want us in there with you?_ “It’s been a while since I’ve flown through a storm like this, I might need some help.” _Oh. That’s … of course there’s a reason._

“Sure, Mando.” You gave him a small smile, looking back toward the child, who was sitting on the floor, levitating a few small pieces of gear with a frown on his face. “Let me get -” ****Fine here.**** Grogu’s head turned toward you, hand still held out toward what he was playing with. “He says he’s fine down here.” The Mandalorian sighed, feet remaining perched on different rungs of the ladder. “He’s unsupervised at the Academy for a while every day. He can keep himself busy while we take off, but if you -” 

“No. Leave him.” He said Grogu’s name, the kid perking up and cooing. “Don’t break anything.” A pause. “And don’t _touch_ anything you’re not supposed to. I’ll leave the cockpit doors open so we can hear you.” ****Fine.**** You had to laugh at that, rolling your eyes and stepping toward the ladder. _Be good, kid._

You followed Mando’s climb up the ladder, waiting until his cape cleared the second level of the ship before lifting your first foot. He was already settled into his seat when you reached the entryway, eyes on the windshield. “It’s really coming down.” You spoke quietly, sitting down and buckling up. “Maybe I _should_ go get him, it could -” 

“I’m not worried about taking off.” He began to flip switches, leaning forward. “It’s leaving the atmosphere that might get bumpy.” _That makes sense._ You sat and waited, unsure of what he wanted you to help him with. “The fifth bounty is on Maridun. That’s about two days out from Nevarro, and just under three for us.” He closed his fingers around one of the levers. “That puts us at about three weeks for the first five bounties, give or take.” _Almost a month. Already. He -_ “I’m going to pick up more from Karga, for the next round?” You nodded, even though he wasn’t looking in your direction. “A longer trip the next time though, probably more pucks, too. That way we can stay -” 

“How many slabs does your ship hold?” You settled back in your seat, turning your head toward him completely. “We’ll have five this time, but … the cargo space is big, and -” 

“Up to fifteen. I won’t take that many on, but …” You felt the ship come to life, a gentle vibration beneath your feet. “I _could._ ” He turned his head toward you, pointing with one finger. “Press that blue button.” You did, leaning forward and over the console. “It’ll keep the window dry while we take off.” In only a few seconds, the water was gone, view unobstructed, and as Mando’s ship hovered a few feet off the ground, you found yourself smiling. “I think we’ll be alright, but …” He pointed again. “Hands on the red ones, and be ready to pull that lever toward you - the one that the kid’s ball goes on?” The smile turned into a grin, but you assured him you’d be ready if he needed you. _Taking off, kid. Hold on to something._

There was no response from Grogu, and within a few minutes, you’d exited the atmosphere and were back in space, gliding through the stars. “That wasn’t bad.” You finally let out a breath, lowering your head. “I mean, it could have been -” 

“It could have been worse, yeah.” The Mandalorian pressed a few buttons before turning a dial, depressing it. “But it wasn’t.” You’d had to pull on the lever after all, using your full body weight to hold it in place as the man navigated you through the storm clouds, but with your help, he’d held the ship steady, all vibration ceasing as soon as you’d leveled out. “Jumping in fifteen seconds.” You liked that he announced what he was doing, because it made you feel like you were involved with the trip, instead of just along for the ride. “I never get tired of it,” he continued as the ship lurched once. “Seeing the galaxy this way?” 

“I wouldn’t either.” You leaned back, unbuckling yourself and pulling one foot up, resting the heel of your boot on the edge of your seat. “I’ve really only flown on transport ships, or … speeders. The flight to Nevarro with Terys was the first time I was ever in a cockpit, and I’ve never …” You gestured with one hand. “It’s amazing, Mando. I’d stay in here all day and night if I could, but I -” 

“You could.” He looked at you, shoulders rising. “You don’t have to ask me if -”

“It’s your ship.” You felt the air in the small room shifting, the man leaning closer to you while he waited for you to continue. “You’ve spent so long piloting by yourself, I don’t want to -”

“I’m not by myself anymore.” His fingers bent, the material of his gloves creaking softly.”Not while you two are here. I’d… be happy to have the company.” It was a direct invitation - and you wasted no time in accepting it. 

“If you really don’t mind.” Trying to keep the excitement out of your voice, you used the foot on the floor to spin yourself toward him. “Mando, thank you. I mean, I won’t know what to do if you’re ever -”

“I don’t sleep much.” You heard him inhale - the sound loud. “I’m in here a lot.” _You are. And that means that when I’m sleeping, you’re … you’re right …_ “I’m gonna go see what the kid’s up to. Maybe he’ll want to show me more, even though we’re inside.” His footsteps heavy as he walked away from you, you fought the urge to turn and watch as the man left. _Wait._

“Mando!” You spun as you spoke, reaching out to stop yourself with the arm of his chair. “Make him take something from you, but don’t _give_ it to him, make him work for it.” You licked your lower lip, then dug your teeth in. “He doesn’t like it when things are easy.” There was a long pause and then a quiet laugh, the sound almost gentle. 

“Neither do I.” 

\--- 

“Stay on the ship, both of you.” The Mandalorian’s hands were on his hips, and you held Grogu in your arms, the two of you facing him. “The planet itself isn’t dangerous, but there are … predators. I won’t be here if anything goes wrong, and I don’t …” He was concerned, the emotion strong. “It shouldn’t take me more than two days to find this one, and there’s enough food on board to keep you -”

“We won’t leave, Mando.” You looked down and then back up, straight at the visor. “You have my word.” 

“Keep the ramp up, too. I won’t lock you in, even though I could, but … please.” He stepped closer, reaching out for Grogu and you handed him over, fingers brushing against the man’s gloves as you made the exchange. “When we go back to Nevarro, we’ll take a couple days and ride out into the flatlands, alright? Make up for the day on Cambria. That OK?” Grogu smiled, reaching for the man’s helmet, fingertips pressing against the beskar. “Good.” He handed the kid back to you, tilting his helmet up. “Can we?” He pointed at the weapons locker. “You can put him down.” You did, following the man the few feet to where the weapons were stored.   
  
“Mando?” You whispered his name, confused. “What -”

“I know you’ve got your saber.” You nodded. “But the code for the locker is in the cockpit, in case you need it. There’s plenty to defend yourselves with.” _He’s left us for this long before, I wonder what …_ “Been here once before, and it was close. I was serious about the predators. They _shouldn’t_ bother the ship, but …” He shrugged. “Memorize the code. I won’t change it.” After assuring him you would, he reached over, laying his hand on your shoulder. “Take care of the kid.” 

“You’re only leaving for a couple days, Mando. It’s no different than the other bounties.” The ship was quiet, aside from the noises that Grogu was making a few feet behind you, but to your surprise, the man leaned closer to you - close enough for the curved beskar of his helmet to glance off of your cheek, hand still in place on your shoulder.  
  
“The first bounty might have been the most difficult, but this last one’s the most dangerous.” Eyes widening at both the admission and at his proximity, you couldn’t help your sharp intake of breath. “You don’t need to worry about me, but I …” He straightened up, head tilting to one side as he looked in your direction. “I wanted to tell you the truth, just … in case.” 

All you could do was nod, and a few moments later, he let go of you, stepping around you and toward the ramp. _Be safe, Mando._ You swallowed hard, watching his back as he headed down the ramp, pulse rifle strapped to it. ****He will.**** At Grogu’s intrusion, you had to laugh, attention shifting from the man to the child, the sound escaping your lips as you dropped to one knee, eyes on him. “I’ve gotta get better at hiding my thoughts from you, pal.” ****Yes, you do.****

\--- 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m excited about this one for a few reasons... so I hope you are, too. Thank you for taking the time to read this story. It means a lot to me. Hope all of you have a good weekend.

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s note: 
> 
> This is the “sequel” to T’ad nac or’atu (Two No More) - and takes place about a year after Grogu left with Luke. There will be spoilers from seasons 1 and two of The Mandalorian throughout.
> 
> I’m terrified to post this, I’m gonna be honest. Even though this is a general introduction to this series, and I’m well into writing it … it’s still scary. I’m very thankful to the people that have provided me with feedback, honesty, support and have offered to read parts of this for me. 
> 
> This is going to be the shortest part by far, but I didn’t think that an 8,000 word introduction was the right call. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it. Feedback - both positive and critical - is always welcome. 
> 
> This is also posted on Tumblr. You can find me at: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/something-tofightfor. If you're over there and want to be added to a tag list, just let me know!


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